Final draft of Physics term paper

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

Okay, so there are a few of you who wanted to read the final draft of my term paper on the physics of skydiving. For anyone hoping to gain more of a "physical" perspective, I learned a great deal from researching this topic and found much of what I read and learned very helpful as basic knowledge to instruct students when trying to explain how skydiving and canopy flight works. Many of the DZ.commers helped to provide me with information and where to find it. So thanks to all of you who led me in the right direction and helped me to become way more knowledgeable on this topic. I hope by posting this I can give back to the forums to any and all who are interested in learning more about our sport in a scientific sense. Anyone wishing to add any comments or knowledge to the thread, please feel free to share. I did not go into too much detail with Bernoulli in this paper as I felt that is more of a topic for a different research paper. Enjoy

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

The Physics of Skydiving.doc

[masher 1]

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so there are a few of you who wanted to read the final draft of my term paper

Whoops, I thought you said first....

What year are you in? Is this a highschool thing, university thing? Please excuse my ignorance, but I don't have much knowledge of the American (?) education system.


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Not too bad. There are a few areas that I would improve upon, but it all depends on what/who the paper is for.

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Arching is overrated - Marlies

[mjosparky 4]

I have down loaded it for bedtime reading. Way to go!
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

Senior year, I was actually taking a college General Physics 2B class. The assignment was to give an oral presentation and a written paper at least 5 pages long on anything we wanted as long as we could apply some aspect of physics that we learned about in the class to it. I just decided I thought it would be cool to understand the physics of gravity, air resistance and body flight. I also thought it might be interesting to whuffos. But most people actually did do their topics on some kind of sport but there were a few other ones like radar guns, MRIs, airplanes ... So this isn't your super high tech physics, this is just like physics for life science majors physics. Alrighty then ...

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[masher 1]

More americanisms...

Senior year? Is that like the 3rd year of a 3 year university course?

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Arching is overrated - Marlies

[masher 1]

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this is just like physics for life science majors physics.

So this is your exposure to real science???

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Arching is overrated - Marlies

[nightjumps 1]

Matthew,

Enough.

[darkwing 5]

Check your email. I sent you some comments.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[BETO74 0]

Wonderfull, easy to read for persons that had no idea about skydiving and skydivers, perhaps you could include more examples like the Sears tower one to help create the picture.
Congratulations.

http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html

[masher 1]

I've read it again, and I quite like it. The good thing about it is that you kept it practical. You gave examples to illustrate what you were talking about, and you used analogy to help the reader picture a (possibly) unfamiliar senario (dropping knees -> using flap).

In any (some?) scientific paper, you run the risk of getting bogged down in the maths. In your paper you had just enough to explain what you were talking about and used real life examples to show how fast and much things happen (8s = Sears tower, PC= 134 lb drag)

You were right about Benoulli. To start talking about principles of lift would require a great deal of maths and quite a bit of fluid physics. Then you might even want to venture into the Benoulli v Newton debate on the source of lift, but thats probably another paper again.

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My questions above are serious. I have never really comprehended the American system of senior years and sophmores and freshmen.... Over here it's first years for people in first year, third years for people in third yr. Honours for honours (for university anyway, but highschool isonly slightly different).

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Arching is overrated - Marlies

[jumpy 0]

Good stuff! Maybe now your physics teacher will be educated on the subject of skydiving! Mine sure as hell ain't!

[wmw999 2,565]

Freshman etc. are just names for first, second etc. years.

US school system (most places):

Elementary school: Grades 1-5
Middle School: Grades 6-8
High School: Grades 9 (freshman)
10 (sophomore)
11 (junior)
12 (senior)

College/University (same thing: an institution called a "college" normally does not have a graduate school, while one called "university" does) has 4 years normally, freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, which correspond to the 1st - 4th years. There are no other names for them.

Some schools have a 5-year program for some degrees, and many students take more than the minimum 4 years to finish.

So -- what's sixth form?
Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Jib 0]

Very well written!!!

One comment: Some teachers have demanded a cite for almost every sentence, even if they seem to be a total waste of paper. I guess they think it's more scholarly.

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the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[masher 1]

Thanks.

Most of our degrees are 3 yrs (extra yr for honours). Engineering degress are 4 yrs (honours included), double degrees are 5.

No names for each year.
I went straight through my undergrad degree. Didn't fail anything

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Arching is overrated - Marlies

[masher 1]

If you have to cite every sentence, then where's the original thought that you've put into the subject?

oh well, pander to your lecturer, they're marking you...

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Arching is overrated - Marlies

[Jib 0]

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If you have to cite every sentence, then where's the original thought that you've put into the subject?

oh well, pander to your lecturer, they're marking you...

Exactly, it's the requirement to pay homage to the ivory tower academics that came before you.

--------------------------------------------------
the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[masher 1]

Try and find refs that you lecturer has written. That should get you brownie points!

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Arching is overrated - Marlies

[jumprunner 0]

Why do you keep bringing up "prop blast"? The second you exit youre already way below the plane, so youre not in the prop blast. The relative wind that keeps you vertical is because youre going 100 mph when you exit, then you slow down to a point where you roll in facing the ground, then accelerate to terminal. That doesnt happen slowly it happens right away, because I can feel the immediate drop when rolling in face down.

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

So excuse me Matthew for not coming close to comparing to your obvious genius IQ. No I never claimed to be a genius, just someone who learned some interesting things about physics and skydiving that have helped me to communicate more effectively with my students. My instructor seemed to like it which is reflected in the grade, I learned a bit, read some interesting books on it and some people on this website were a big help ... Some people wanted me to post it so they can see what I wrote and I thought maybe it would help others understand more.

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[Shark 0]

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Why do you keep bringing up "prop blast"? The second you exit youre already way below the plane, so youre not in the prop blast. The relative wind that keeps you vertical is because youre going 100 mph when you exit, then you slow down to a point where you roll in facing the ground, then accelerate to terminal. That doesnt happen slowly it happens right away, because I can feel the immediate drop when rolling in face down.

Stylin,

Or whatever you go by now. Do you have any idea WTF you are talking about? Dude, when you get more than your 10 tandems you will understand. BTW, didn't see you in the surf line up today. Give the chick a break and try to listen and learn. She may be your AFF instuctor one day as could I.

[jumprunner 0]

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Why do you keep bringing up "prop blast"? The second you exit youre already way below the plane, so youre not in the prop blast. The relative wind that keeps you vertical is because youre going 100 mph when you exit, then you slow down to a point where you roll in facing the ground, then accelerate to terminal. That doesnt happen slowly it happens right away, because I can feel the immediate drop when rolling in face down.

Stylin,

Or whatever you go by now. Do you have any idea WTF you are talking about? Dude, when you get more than your 10 tandems you will understand. BTW, didn't see you in the surf line up today. Give the chick a break and try to listen and learn. She may be your AFF instuctor one day as could I.

I wasnt trying to be rude, but, those are the facts, you are way under the prop blast the second you jump out, no matter what your jump number is. I can quote the same thing from the Skydivers Handbook, if I am in the prop blast as the paper says, then please explain to me why I am looking up at the plane every time I have jumped??? The prop blast goes horizontal to the direction of the plane, if you are under the plane, then how can you be in the prop blast???

Now, would you say I have an idea of WTF Im talking about? If not, then you are welcome to prove me wrong. All I was doing was pointing that out.

Now, about the surf line up. Didnt see me in the surf line up huh? Well, you will in a couple of weeks, so maybe Ill see you out at Turmo with your "longboard". Course I may not see you since youll probably be spending most of your time "under" the breaks. If youre going to practice skydiving manuevers, try doing that in the air and not under the water, dude.

[Zenister 0]

I guess you need to read more closely then..the paragraph you refer to is a qoute..she possibly should have used [sic] to point out the error as the terminology is a bit funky, but everywhere in her words she refers to it as "relative wind" which is correct..

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[jumprunner 0]

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I guess you need to read more closely then..the paragraph you refer to is a qoute..she possibly should have used [sic] to point out the error as the terminology is a bit funky, but everywhere in her words she refers to it as "relative wind" which is correct..

Youre right, I did say "Why do you keep bringing up "prop blast?", she was quoting that from a reference. Its more than a bit funky, if you were in the prop blast for too long youd probably be hit by the tail which is why the plane slows down, ie Ive heard a few times about when pilots eject out of a fighter jet still strapped to the seat they sometimes hit the tail, not enough time to slow down.

[Shark 0]

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I wasnt trying to be rude, but, those are the facts, you are way under the prop blast the second you jump out, no matter what your jump number is. I can quote the same thing from the Skydivers Handbook, if I am in the prop blast as the paper says, then please explain to me why I am looking up at the plane every time I have jumped??? The prop blast goes horizontal to the direction of the plane, if you are under the plane, then how can you be in the prop blast???

Okay, bright one.... I didn't right the paper, but she mentioned prop blast twice. And the second time was not too clear as to it's time in effect. She did, however, make reference to "relative wind" on more than several occaisions. You've never been on the hill by yourself have you?

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Now, would you say I have an idea of WTF Im talking about? If not, then you are welcome to prove me wrong. All I was doing was pointing that out.

Yes, you may be pointing it out, but do you truely understand?? What AFF level are you on? Have you exited solo with proper presentation?

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Now, about the surf line up. Didnt see me in the surf line up huh? Well, you will in a couple of weeks, so maybe Ill see you out at Turmo with your "longboard".

Okay, Mr. Kookmeister. I've been surfing more than 20 years and have placed in more contests than you have fingers and toes. Any fuckin' day I'll meet you in the water to prove it. I have not surfed the PB area in a couple of years, but I'll see you ass out on a big day at Black's, if you can make the paddle out.

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Course I may not see you since youll probably be spending most of your time "under" the breaks. If youre going to practice skydiving manuevers, try doing that in the air and not under the water, dude.

Dude, stick to the bowling threads.
You are the last person who should be critical of someone's paper on skydiving.

Please don't waste our time.

[masher 1]

hang on a tick.

I'm not knocking you or your paper, I was just trying to give you my feedback on it.

Everything that is in it is perfectly understandable. There are just different levels of "properness" in the use of terminology.

If I were to write a paper on chemistry or biology, then there would be words that I use in the wrong sense, or things that could be better phrased, but I would still get my message across.

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Arching is overrated - Marlies