Investigating Aerofoil Lift: Can Plasticine Be Used? | IB Coursework Project

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on the use of plasticine as a material for modeling aerofoils in an IB coursework project investigating lift. The user has experimented with various shapes, including camber, cuboid, and sphere, using plasticine instead of polystyrene. Results indicate that plasticine can be effective for small-scale airfoil testing in a basic wind tunnel, provided the airflow is mild enough to prevent deformation and the surfaces are molded to exact tolerances. However, scaling up the models may lead to deformation due to the material's weight.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of aerofoil shapes such as camber, cuboid, and sphere
  • Basic knowledge of wind tunnel operation and airflow principles
  • Familiarity with material properties, specifically plasticine and its deformation characteristics
  • Experience in experimental design and data collection for physics projects
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of airflow on different aerofoil shapes using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software
  • Explore advanced materials for aerofoil modeling, such as polystyrene or 3D-printed plastics
  • Learn about the principles of lift and drag in aerodynamics
  • Investigate methods for improving the precision of mold-making for aerofoil surfaces
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for IB students, physics educators, and hobbyists interested in aerodynamics, particularly those conducting experiments on lift using various materials for aerofoil modeling.

jiggy
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I am doing a project for my IB coursework investigating lift on aerofoils with different shapes. I was wondering if plasticine can be used as an aerofoil.
I am designing aerofoils of different shapes such as camber , cuboid , sphere , etc. For modelling them , I have used plasticine instead of polystyrene I have done experiments using plasticine and have gotten results. but I am not too sure if plasticine is an accepted aerofoil to do the experiment with. my experiment is pretty low-tech using a very basic wind tunnel
 
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Provided the airflows through your wind tunnel are mild enough to prevent deformation, and provided you can mold to the plasticine to exact tolerances with very smooth surfaces, it can be used to test small-scale airfoils. It would at some point deform under it's own weight if you scaled it up too far, however.
 

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