Thursday, October 9, 2008
Boomerang Returning
Not all Boomerangs look the same, act the same or have the same purpose. Some Boomerangs are designed to return, and some are not. Using key words such as 'Boomerang Returning' and other work sheets completed in class, explain why some boomerangs return and others do not. Also, find as many different purposes for boomerangs as you can.
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Whay does a boomerang fly?
Boomerangs have many purposes, hunting, weapons, percussive musical instruments, battle clubs, fire-starters, decoys for hunting waterfowl, and as recreational play toys. The oldest known boomerang was discovered in a cave in Poland it was made of Mammoth tusk and is believed to be 30 000 years old. The smallest boomerang can be less than 10cm from tip to tip whilst the largest can be over 2m in length.
Aboriginals use boomerangs for hunting as well as recreational sport. The boomerang is thrown at trees, as it clips the leaves it scares the birds who then fly towards the thrower, nets that are held up or strung between trees then capture the birds. It can also be thrown at an emus neck, which will cause it to break or the kangaroo’s legs, which will then make it collapse.
All boomerangs have two components, each wing. Because the wings are curved they will spin around a central point. Boomerangs spin causing un-even lift, this means one wing is rotating forward, the same direction as the wind, whilst the other is rotating backwards, this means that there is a higher airspeed on one wing which then causes airlift and it to curve back. it can be quite confusing, but the main reason a boomerang fly’s is because the curved wings make the boomerang spin which forces it around a central point. The central point is in the middle of the circle the boomerang makes when it curves back.
There are four steps when a boomerang is thrown, 1-launch, this is when you throw the boomerang and it is taken into the air. 2- begins curving, this is as it starts the process to return, the boomerang will pivot around a central point. 3-lays over, this is where it will hit a point and spin right around in the direction to come back. 4- hovers back; this is when the boomerang hovers at the end, right back to the thrower, this also causes the boomerang to move around.
Stick or Boomerang Science Prac.
Q1: What did you learn from reading this science report?
Answer: I learnt that the shapes of the boomerangs make them fly different ways.
Q2: What discussion questions would you include as part of this science prac write up?
Answer: It makes me think.. If i threw a bird, or something else with wings, would it come back to me?
Q3: In what ways do you think the shape of the boomerang makes to the way it flies?
Answer: I think the curve of the boomerang makes it fly how it does and controlls it to turn around and come back.
Q4: If an airplane wing is shaped in the same way as a boomerang wing, why does an airplane wing not come back?
Answer: Because the airplane wings are joint to the plane.
QUESTION SHEET 3: STICK OR BOOMERANG SCIENCE PRAC
I learnt that a wing on a boomerang is a shape called an “airfoil”. This airfoil shape makes the top of the boomerangs wing curved at the top and on the bottom its flat.
The air goes further and faster over the top of the boomerangs wing. This air does not go quite as fast on the bottom. This also means that there is less pressure on the top than on the bottom. The pressure that is greater pushes and lifts the airfoil toward the lesser pressure. I found that really interesting and a helpful bit of information.
The force that turns the boomerang is called precession. In a spinning object, when some kind of information is applied the effect of the force goes one fourth around the circle. This is because the top of the boomerang is going faster and forward than the bottom. On the bottom there is more lift, or force on the top of the boomerang than the bottom. The effect of the lift is on the front of the spinning boomerang causing the boomerang to go in a circle.
Question sheet three:
Stick or Boomerang science Prac,
(the * shows the questions)
*What did you learn from reading this science report?
In this science Prac I leant that lift is made by the shape of the boomerang wing. At first I didn’t get what this meant but when I thought about it and I remembered what Mrs. Woodward taught us, I finally understood. I also learnt that lift is the opposite of gravity, and thrust is the opposite to drag, and in addition learnt that a force called precession turns the boomerang.
*What discussion questions would you include as part of this science Prac write up?
I think that the discussion questions that I would include as part of this science Prac write up would be:
*Did you enjoy this task?
*Why do you think that lift is the opposite to Gravity?
*How did you think a boomerang flew?
*In what ways do you think the shape of the boomerang makes to the way it flies?
I think that the Air foil makes the Boomerang fly because it is curved so the boomerang tilts to the side in which makes it come back, I also think that the airfoil helps the Boomerang to stay in the air because it is more balanced and it is not as heavy. I also think that the amount of Lift is determined by the shape.
I don’t really understand why the airfoil helps a Boomerang fly but I would really like to learn about it.
*If an airplane wing is shaped in the same way as a boomerang wing, why does an areoplane wing not come back?
I believe that an aeroplanes wing does not come back because an areoplane wing does not spin, also areoplane wings are attached to the body of the areoplane, where as with a boomerang there is not a very big body so basically each wing is touching.
*Draw a diagram of the way you think a Boomerang flies from, when it leaves the hand to when it comes back.
I will hand my diagram in to Learning Assement with my cover sheet.
I have one question to do with this worksheet and this is it, was I supposed to just answer the questions or do a summary on the answers from the questions?
If I was to do learn this again I would find out more information and maybe do a different sheet.
By Nita
QUESTION SHEET ONE: WHY DOES A BOOMERANG FLY
I think a boomerang flies because of its airfoil shape. If a boomerang did not have an airfoil shape then it will not fly.
The boomerang comes back to you because at each end of a boomerang it tilts up or down and that makes it turn around in a circle. Also at one end if it tilts down the air will go over the top of the boomerang, and at the other end of the boomerang it will tilt up and the wind will go under the boomerang and that makes it turn. I know this because my Dad has a hunting boomerang and the hunting boomerangs do not come back to you they go in a straight line. And at the end of the hunting boomerang it does not tilt up or down, but on a normal boomerang it does . The airfoil shape only makes it fly in the air, but the tilt at each end of the boomerang makes it turn, and if you combined both of them it will create a flying boomerang that comes back to you.
I think the boomerang was a more important discovery than the aircraft, simply because if they did not make a boomerang they will not have the right shape on the wings which make a aeroplane fly so I think a boomerang was a important discovery.
Question Sheet Three - Stick or Boomerang Science Prac.
1 – What did you learn from reading this science report?
From reading this science report I realised the four forces really do have an affect when a boomerang gets thrown. These forces include of- lift, drag, thrust and weight (gravity). I knew that lift was the opposite to weight (gravity) but I didn’t know that drag was the opposite to thrust.
I learnt that the airplanes wing is shaped the same way as a boomerangs wing is shaped.
2 – What discussion questions would you include as part of this science prac write up?
-Why do you think the force causes the boomerang to go in a circle?
-Why is the boomerangs wing shaped the way it is?
-Do you now have a clear understanding on how a boomerang flies?
3 – In what ways do you think the shape of the boomerang makes to the way it flies?
I believe this flies on a slight angle which helps it turn and come back. The curved shape on the wing may catch the air and turn around when it reaches a certain angle.
4 – If an airplane wing is shaped in the same way as a boomerang wing, why does an airplane wing not come back?
I believe that the airplane when up in the air does not turn in a circle and I think by the boomerang turning in a circle makes the boomerang return.
The wings are also joined to the body of the airplane which weighs the wings down and the wings are closer to the front of the plane so the gravity would not allow the bottom of the plane to rotate in a circle.
5 – Draw a diagram of the way you think a Boomerang flies from when it leaves the hand to when it comes back.
Unable to draw my diagram on this.
I thought that these ‘Boomerang Returning’ sheets help learn about the four forces to a further extent and I enjoyed completing this activity
By Eb.
QUESTION SHEET 2: BASIC TECHINQUES FOR THROWING A BOOMERANG
I think that the wraparound grip is the best, because I like to get a firm grip around the boomerang and the wraparound grip does make you get a firm grip of the boomerang.
If there was not spin the boomerang would not fly at all because there would not be any air hitting the airfoil shape of the boomerang and that would make the boomerang not work.
When you tilt the boomerang on a 20 to 30 degree away from vertical it will cause an elliptical flight. It is an important part of a boomerangs flight path.
Wind and air are one of the most important things when you are throwing a boomerang because if there was no wind then the boomerang would not fly properly and would not spin or fly and would go off track.
Question Sheet Three: Stick or Boomerang Science Prac.
I discovered that the wing on a boomerang is a shape that is called an 'airfoil'. The airfoil shape makes the top of the boomerang wing curvedover at the top and on the bottom it is flat.
The air goes further and faster over the top of the boomerangs wing. This air does not go as fast on the bottom of the boomerang because it is flat. This tells me that there is not as much force on the top of the boomerang than there is on the bottom of the boomerang. The force that is greater pushes and lifts the airfoil towards the lesser force. I thought this was very interesting and helful to my learning.
I believe that the Air foil makes the Boomerang fly for the reason that it is curved therefore the boomerang tilts to one side and which makes it rotate around and come back to you, I in addition assume that the airfoil helps the Boomerang to hang about in the air because it is more balanced and it is not as weightly. I also believe that the total amount of Lift is determined by the shape of the boomerang.
The force that rotates the boomerang is called precession. In a revolving item, when some class of information is applied the effect of the force goes one fourth around the circle. This is because the top of the boomerang is going quicker and forward than the bottom.
I thought that this task was very interesting and introduced me to some new information and i thourouly enjoyed this task.
STICK OR BOOMERANG!
What did you learn from reading this science report?
I learnt that there are four different forces that have and affect on a boomerang when thrown, these forces are called Lift, Drag, Thrust and Gravity. I knew a few things about these four forces but the report taught me a few more things like, Lift is the opposite of gravity and drag is the opposite of thrust.
What discussion questions would you include as part of this science prac write up?
-How would u have designed a boomerang?
-Do you think boomerangs could have had another shape?
-Do you have a good understanding on how boomerangs fly through this report?
-Which parts in this did u no understand?
In what ways do you think the shape of the boomerang makes to the way it flies?
I think that when its thrown the point on the ends helps it fly through air and the bend it the middle of the boomerang helps it to fly back.
If an airplane wing is shaped in the same way as a boomerang wing, why does an airplane wing not come back?
I think because an airplane wing is attached to the body of the airplane it weighs more making it unable to spin around like a boomerang.
Draw a diagram of the way you think a boomerang flies from when it leaves the hand to when it comes back?
In learning assessment.
-I think that this sheet help me a lot with understanding more about boomerangs and how the fly, when I was reading through the report I had questions every now and again that I was wondering but when I read on it answered it for me so I found that really helpful.
Question sheet two:
I like The wraparound grip is similar to the pinch grip, the difference being that you wrap your forefinger around the front of the boomerang. At the end of your throw, snap your wrist and "pull the trigger" to create spin.
If there was not spin the boomerang would not fly because there would not be any air coming through to make the boomerang come back to you.
Wind and air are the most important things when you are throwing a boomerang but you need a big area like a football field or something big so it doesn't go on the road or up a tree.
This task has been a really good and interesting task to found out because there was alot of drawings and diagrams to tell you were and when to throw the boomerang.
Question sheet 3: Stick or boomerang science prac
1. What did you learn from reading this science report?
I learnt that four forces, like with aeroplanes, affect the flight of boomerangs, these forces are lift, gravity/weight, thrust, and drag. Lift is created by the shape of a boomerang which is called airfoil. Airfoil allows the boomerang to fly, however boomerangs are different to aeroplane wings because they spin. They spin because pressure is applied to a certain area of the boomerang; this pressure creates the force lift which keeps the boomerang spinning.
2. What discussion questions would you include as part of this science prac write up?
What causes more pressure on the bottom part of the wing because of the air going slower?
Why does the boomerang spin, and keep on spinning?
Why does the air going along on top of a wing go faster than the air going along the bottom?
3. In what ways do you think the shape of the boomerang makes it to the way it flies?
Since the boomerang is curved, it causes more pressure on the side it was thrown on; this therefore allows the boomerang to spin. Airfoil applies pressure to the bottom of a boomerang which keeps the boomerang in the air. The airfoil applies to one side, therefore causing the boomerang to keep on spinning.
4. If an aeroplane wing is shaped in the same way as a boomerang wing, why does an aeroplane wing not come back?
Boomerangs are thrown by holding one side and then letting go while spinning the boomerang around, this applied with lift to one side, differs from how an aeroplane flies.
Aeroplanes get their lift from thrust, coming from jet engines. Jet engines apply equal lift on the wings by being placed on either side of the wings. Instead of applying pressure to one side it applies pressure to both sides therefore stopping the airfoil from applying pressure to one side.
From completing this task I have learnt how a boomerang flies, and why it spins. I found this task interesting and I wouldn't mind doing something else similar to it.
I completed all the question sheets and the sheet I found the most interesting was, queston 1.
Question 1 went over the question 'why does a boomerang fly?'.
A boomerng flys because it has the aerofoil shape on it's wings so it has lift, the reason the boomerang spins is because there is one aerofoil on the inside and one on the outside, making it have an uneven lift, meaning it will turn. If the boomerang had the aerofoil only on the outside it would glide like a frisbe.
Question sheet one also talked about the motions a boomerang goes through while it's in flight. there were four steps
1 - the user throws boomerang.
2 - the boomerang begins to turn.
3 - it lays over and begins to
return.
4 - The boomerang hovers back to
the user.
A boomerang's main perpose was to hunt animals, though it wa used for a numerous amount of different things including weapons, musical instrument, games and recreational activities.
This question sheet interested me the most because, had alot of interesing infomation that I didn't know about which included how a boomerang turned in the air. this assignment has been alot of fun and I really liked it.
Basic techniques for throwing a boomerang
Of course most of us will not get a boomerang to come back on our first attempt of throwing one, it takes time, skill and practice which makes perfect.
So many things count for the flight of a boomerang, first you will need a large grassy area, clear of trees and bushes, a large oval or park would be good. Make sure you have at least 60 feet around you (in all directions) and make sure there is nothing breakable around as who knows what could happen on your first go. Make sure the weather is good, a nice warm day with no wind. Some boomerangs will not return with out wind, but others will, it is all about trial and error.
Always throw a boomerang overhand, never throw your boomerang side arm as it will go up then swoop back down at you hitting you or another or just breaking in half when it hits the ground. There are two grips to hold a boomerang, the pinch grip or the cradle grip. The pinch grip consists of pinching the boomerang between your thumb and forefinger; with this grip snap your wrist at the end of the throw. This will create spin. The cradle grip is much the same as the pinch grip except for the fact you wrap your forefinger around the front of the boomerang.
Creating spin is the most essential part of the throw; the boomerang can be thrown from either arm, its just about personal preference.
The side with the most curve must be towards your face whilst the other side (the flat side) must be facing away, this enable the airfoils to generate lift
Once your boomerang is thrown and starts to curve its way back to you the next part is catching! The easiest way to catch a boomerang is with the two palms of your hands. Wait until the boomerang is below shoulder level then clap your hands together trapping the boomerang. Another way is to place one hand in the air, if the boomerang is well above your head then catch the boomerang from the centre. A boomerang constantly changes paths if you see it then don’t take you eye of it as it is easy to lose sight of it if you look away, if you can not spot it or it is out of view, duck down, turn around and put your hands over your head as it could hit you!
Boomerang throwing is just about practice and trial and error; it can take ages to perfect or just a few days.
SHEET 1-Why does a boomerang fly?
I found reading sheet 1 very interesting because it told me some things I never knew about boomerangs,just an example is I never knew that boomerangs were the world's first heavier than air flying machines.
When you are throwing a boomerang you need a big grassy area like an soccer,cricket or football ground because you don't want trees around other wise your boomerang might get stuck or get damaged when it hits the tree.
There are five forces that affect the flight of a boomerang and must be balanced correctly for a boomerang to fly and return to the thrower successfully they are:
- Gravity
- The force caused by a propeller motion
- The force of the throw
- The force caused by the uneven speed of the wings
- Wind
All of these five forces help the flight of the boomerang and its return.
You should throw the boomerang like baseball because that also helps the boomerang in returning, first you should launch the boomerang about 45 degrees away from the which way the wind is going so it can begin curving,the wind should help the boomerang to lay over so it can start heading back to you,then your boomerang should hover back around you.
When catching the boomerang after throwing it and its hovering back catch it by clapping your hands together.
If all this happens you know you've thrown the boomerang correctly,but you have to be preety skilled at throwing them because its very hard at getting it on your first go.
I found reading this sheet 1 very interesting and helpful because I learnt new things.
STICK OR BOOMERANG SCIENCE REPORT
1. What do you learn from reading this science report?
i learnt that there are 4 different forces that affect the flight of a boomerang which are lift, drag, thrust and gravity.i also learnt that when a boomerang fly's the air has to go further and faster over the top of the wing and because the bottom of the boomerang is flat it doesn't go as fast.
2. What discussion questions would you include as a part of this science prac write up?
-what could you also fly that might come back to you?
- did you like doing this science prac write up?
-why does the air go faster on the top and slower on the bottem of the boomerang?
3 In what ways do you think the shape of the boomerang makes to the way it flies?
The wing design (like an airplane wing) makes the lift of the make the boomerang sail through the air. there is also a big force that goes either to the left or right of the boomerang which causes it to come back to you.
4. If an airplane wing is shaped in the same way as a boomerang wing, why does an airplane wing not come back?
i think that an aeroplane does not come back because the wings are joint to the sides of the body but with a boomerang they are really close to eachother because a boomerang isnt as big as an aeroplane.
5.Draw a diagram of the way you think a Boomerang flies from when it leaves the hand to when it comes back.
cant draw it onto this?
Further reflection
I think that Boomerang come back has been a great investigation, it has not only taught us about aboriginals, but more in-depth relations to them. I think that it is terrible that ever since captain cook came in 1788 they have never been able to live the same or experience the rights they should’ve had, rights which only we had. Aboriginals have never done anything bad by us and it is good that now they can be treated just like any other Australian. For aboriginals it is a lot harder, it’s harder for them to get what they what in life and for them to get where they want, it is harder for aboriginals to get a job and it is harder for them to be really successful, but it is good that some aboriginals have made it big time, Ernie Dingo, Adam Goodes and Jonathan Thurston all have aboriginal background, yet they have been able to achieve great things and become really successful. Aboriginals and Torre straight islanders together make up about 2.6% of the Australian population, it seems a bit selfish how much we have taken over their country, 2.6% is so little considering they were on this great land first.
There is much to know about aboriginals and we have only briefly researched it, they have such a long amazing past which in some parts is cruel, their beliefs, music, art, traditions and all round history are something which they can be proud of, it is great that this investigation is being done as it closes the gap which lies between us
I think it would be good if this investigation/topic were to be done to all Australians as some people are extremely racist and rude, it would close the gap not only for us, but everyone. Australia is one nation, most people accept aboriginals, but I still feel some don’t, but they should as this great land is really theirs, now it is everyone’s, but it really is, truly theirs.
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