Effect of Paper Thickness on Distance

Procedural Recount

Aim

To analyze the effect of paper thickness on the distance covered by a paper plane.

Hypothesis

The thinner the paper the further the paper plane would glide so it would cover a larger distance. This is because of the smaller gravity force acting on the paper plane made out of the thinner paper, since the mass of this plane is smaller.

Apparatus

Tape measurer

Blue tack

6 sheets of different types of paper (office paper, paper towel, cardboard of different thickness and recycled paper)

Method

1. Six sheets paper which were 15cm by 21cm were taken

2. Each of the sheets of paper were folded into "Nick's plane"

3. Then someone stood on a marked spot where the experiment was performed.

4. The planes got thrown and it glided in the air

5. Blue tack was as a marking on the place where the plane landed

6. Steps 3,4 and 5 were repeated five times

7. Distance was measured from marked standing spot to blue tack

8. Steps 3 to 7 were repeated for each plane

Variables

Force [constants]

Wind [constants]

Distant [dependant variable]

Types of paper [independent variable]

Results

Plane #1 [Black Cardboard]

Thickness = 30 micrometers Weight =6.484g

Repeat Number Distance Covered (mm)

1 4675

2 3820

3 5425

4 5965

5 2875

Average Distance- 4552mm

Plane #2 [yellow cardboard]

Thickness = 19 micrometers Weight =4.047g

Repeat Number Distance Covered (mm)

1 6275

2 6640

3 5150

4 5985

5 5150

Average Distance- 5840mm

Plane #3 [white cardboard]

Thickness = 16 micrometers Weight = 3.515g

Repeat Number Distance Covered(mm)

1 6800

2 6720

3 5860

4 5425

5 6930

Average Distance- 5949mm

Plane #4 [office paper]

Thickness = 10 micrometers Weight = 2.552g

Repeat Number Distance Covered(mm)

1 5100

2 5290

3 5875

4 6375

5 4785

...