Calculating Force of Drag on Paper Helicopters

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To calculate the force of drag on paper helicopters, the coefficient of drag is essential, which can be determined through experimentation or reference values. The drag force can be calculated using the equation F_d = 0.5 * C_d * ρ * A * v^2, where F_d is the drag force, C_d is the coefficient of drag, ρ is the air density, A is the cross-sectional area, and v is the velocity. The cross-sectional area can be approximated as π * (length/2)^2 for the wings. Understanding whether to focus on the rotors or the entire helicopter structure is crucial for accurate calculations. Properly measuring the mass and fall time will aid in determining the drag force effectively.
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hello!
i'm doing a physics lab paper helicopters and changing the length of their wings.
i was wondering if i could find the coefficient of drag for each helicopter.
i have the mass of the helicopter, the time it takes to fall a certain distance and I'm assuming that the cross sectional area will be pi*length^2
however, I'm having a bit of trouble determining the force of drag, i am not sure at all how to go about it :S
how do you calculate the force of drag? thanks
 
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Are you talking about the rotors or the helicopter itself?
 

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