Education Hovercraft

myminifactory

Have you ever soared through the air on a hovercraft? It's an exhilarating experience, like floating on a cloud! In reality, that's exactly what you're doing—a hovercraft is a vehicle that glides effortlessly over a smooth surface on a cushion of air. Because a hovercraft can traverse flat land or water, it's an amphibious marvel. In this hands-on activity, you'll get to design and build your own mini hovercraft using a 3D printed base and a balloon. How will varying amounts of air in the balloon affect how long the hovercraft stays aloft? Background A hovercraft is a vehicle that glides over a smooth surface by riding on a cushion of air, earning it the nickname air-cushion vehicle or ACV. So, how is this air cushion created, and how does it allow the vehicle to glide so smoothly? Vents or currents of slow-moving, low-pressure air are expelled downward against the surface below the hovercraft. Modern ACVs often feature propellers on top that generate the air currents. These currents are pushed beneath the vehicle with the aid of fans. Surrounding the base of the ACV is a flexible skirt, also known as the curtain, which traps the air currents, keeping them underneath the hovercraft. The trapped air currents create an air cushion on any smooth surface, land or water! This cushion significantly reduces friction, allowing the vehicle to glide freely over the smooth surface below. Test the hovercraft on different surfaces. On which type of surface does it work best? • Extra: Can you enhance this hovercraft design? Think about features of this craft that you can modify, such as the construction materials, the lid's opening size, the hovercraft's shape or its size. Could you add a skirt like that used on real ACVs to better contain the air cushion? Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-hovercraft/