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Ping-Pong Ball Parachute Drop

Make a parachute for a ping-pong ball and tune its design for the slowest, steadiest drop.

Grade 8BuildExperimentScience OlympiadEngineeringSciencePhysicsEngineeringData AnalysisIntermediate50 to 80 min7 materialsAdult supervision required

What you'll learn

  • Explain drag and terminal velocity
  • Time drops accurately and average repeated trials
  • Use evidence to choose a final design

Objective

Design a parachute for a ping-pong ball, test canopy size and vent holes, and find the best design for a slow, steady descent.

STEM concepts

Air resistanceTerminal velocityDesign iterationStability
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Materials and safety
Step-by-step instructions
Prediction, test sheet and results
Why does it work, challenge and project report

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