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Build a real working hovercraft! A science experiment to demonstrate the principles of pressure and lift.

A U.S. Navy w:LCAC hovercraft attached to the Amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge

Build a real working hovercraft!

So you want your very own hovercraft. Well once again, Geek Slop is here to help. Of course, it’s only big enough to hold a mouse (maybe two if the first one scrunches down real low) but hey, you’re not old enough for a driver’s license anyway…

  1. Cut a 4-inch square out of the cardboard.
  2. Punch a hole in the cardboard. Make sure you punch the hole in the center of the cardboard. The hole should be the same size as the hole in the spool.
  3. Glue the spool to the cardboard on top of the hole. Make sure you glue it really good. Make sure the holes line up. Make sure you use enough glue to assure that no air can escape between the spool and the piece of cardboard. Make sure you put the lid back on the glue when you’re finished.
  4. Cover the top of the spool with a circle of paper – glue it to the spool and wait until the glue is good and dry.
  5. Punch a hole in the middle of the paper cover where the hole of the spool is. Now your hole should run through the paper, spool, and cardboard without any obstructions (watch for too much glue).
  6. Blow up the balloon and twist the end to keep the air from escaping. Stretch the balloon over the top of the spool.
  7. Make sure your mouse is wearing his seatbelt (optional step).
  8. Set the hovercraft on a level table. Let go of the balloon.

Cool huh? Give the hovercraft a few gently pushes.

The air flowing from the balloon through the holes forms a layer of air between the hovercraft and the table. This reduces friction. This layer of air reduces the friction that would have existed if the hovercraft rested directly on the table. With less friction, your hovercraft scoots across the table.

About pressure and lift

Pressure is a fundamental concept in physics and engineering that refers to the amount of force exerted per unit area. When a fluid (gas or liquid) flows over an object, it exerts a force on the object due to the pressure of the fluid. This force is known as drag, and it can have a significant impact on the motion and behavior of the object.

Lift, on the other hand, is a force that acts perpendicular to the direction of motion of an object when it is moving through a fluid. It is generated when the fluid flows over the surface of an object in such a way that the pressure on the upper surface of the object is lower than the pressure on the lower surface of the object. This pressure difference creates a net upward force, which is known as lift.

In the field of aviation, lift is an essential factor for the flight of an aircraft. The wings of an aircraft are designed in such a way that they generate lift as air flows over them. The shape of the wing, the angle of attack, and the speed of the aircraft all affect the amount of lift generated. Understanding lift is critical for designing efficient and effective airplanes, helicopters, and other flying vehicles.

Pressure is the force exerted per unit area by a fluid, while lift is the force that acts perpendicular to the direction of motion of an object when it is moving through a fluid. These two concepts are closely related and play important roles in many areas of physics and engineering, including fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, and hydrodynamics.

Hovercraft use blowers to produce a large volume of air below the hull, or air cushion, that is slightly above atmospheric pressure. The pressure difference between the higher pressure air below the hull and lower pressure ambient air above it produces lift, which causes the hull to float above the running surface. For stability reasons, the air is typically blown through slots or holes around the outside of a disk- or oval-shaped platform, giving most hovercraft a characteristic rounded-rectangle shape.

About hovercraft or air-cushion vehicles (ACV)

A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV), is a type of craft that can travel over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces. The first practical design for hovercraft was derived from a British invention in the 1950s. They are now used throughout the world as specialized transports in disaster relief, coastguard, military, and survey applications, as well as for sport or passenger service. Large versions have been used to transport hundreds of people and vehicles across the English Channel, whilst others have military applications used to transport tanks, soldiers, and large equipment in hostile environments and terrain. As of 2021, the only public hovercraft service in the world is still in operation between the Isle of Wight and Southsea in the UK.

Although now a generic term for the type of craft, the name Hovercraft itself was a trademark owned by Saunders-Roe (later British Hovercraft Corporation (BHC), then Westland), hence other manufacturers’ use of alternative names to describe the vehicles.

The standard plural of hovercraft is hovercraft (in the same manner that aircraft is both singular and plural).

Required supplies for the Build a real working hovercraft science experiment

Supplies: Paper, Balloon, Cardboard, Glue, Spool

Image Credits

In-Article Image Credits

A U.S. Navy w:LCAC hovercraft attached to the Amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge via Wikimedia Commons by US Navy with usage type - Public Domain

Featured Image Credit

A U.S. Navy w:LCAC hovercraft attached to the Amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge via Wikimedia Commons by US Navy with usage type - Public Domain

 

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