Parachute Competition: Find the Equation to Win!

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  • Thread starter Thread starter rfwebster
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    Competition Parachute
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around a competition involving a teddy bear attached to a parachute, where the goal is to maximize the time the bear remains in the air. Participants explore the relationship between parachute design, size, weight, and falling velocity, seeking equations or principles that could aid in winning the competition.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a desire to find an equation relating parachute size, weight, and falling velocity to improve performance in the competition.
  • Another suggests that adding a horizontal component to the fall could increase air-time, proposing the use of a parawing instead of a traditional parachute.
  • A creative design idea is proposed involving a mechanism that allows the parachute to dive and then pull up, mimicking a skydiving technique to enhance air-time.
  • It is noted that the competition rules do not specify size, only that the parachute must be teddy bear-shaped.
  • A humorous suggestion is made to find a teddy bear shaped like a skydiver.
  • Another participant proposes the possibility of using radio control to operate a parawing design, incorporating servos to manipulate the parachute's behavior.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various ideas and approaches to improve the parachute's performance, but no consensus is reached on a specific equation or design strategy. Multiple competing views and suggestions remain present in the discussion.

Contextual Notes

The discussion lacks specific mathematical formulations or empirical data to support the claims made about parachute design and performance. The exploration of ideas is dependent on the absence of strict rules regarding parachute size and shape.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in aerodynamics, engineering design, or competitive events involving physics principles may find this discussion relevant.

rfwebster
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hello all,
I recently saw a poster for a competition, the idea is that you get a teddy bear and attach a parachute to it, your bear gets thrown off a tower and the bear which is in the air the longest wins.

Obviously i thought that if i researched parachutes on the internet i could find some equation which would help me win. However i could not.

I am now wondering if there is an equation, or has anyone ever recsearched into the relationship of parachute size to weight to falling velecitys and can anyone help me win?
 
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Welcome to PF, RF. I know nothing from math, but you can get more air-time by adding a horizontal component to the fall. That would dictate the use of something more like a parawing than a parachute. What do the rules specify as regards shape and size?
 
You should make one that has a mechanism by fabric design that makes it slightly dive, then pull up, then due to 0 air velocity, it dives again (like Super Mario World and the Cape!) and It'll add that horizontal component, not require anything but an amazing design, and probably stay in the air for a long time.
If there's any skydivers out there, imagine repeatedly dipping a little then flaring over and over.
 
there are no rules dictating size, just teddy bear shaped.
 
Can you find a teddy bear shaped skydiver?
 
If there is also no rule against radio control, I'd consider building it as a parawing and installing a couple of servos on the puppet lines. :devil:
 

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