{"id":679,"date":"2015-03-10T16:09:18","date_gmt":"2015-03-10T16:09:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paksc.org\/pk\/?p=679"},"modified":"2015-03-10T16:09:18","modified_gmt":"2015-03-10T16:09:18","slug":"how-does-a-hovercraft-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paksc.org\/pk\/articles\/how-does-a-hovercraft-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How Does A Hovercraft Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This article about hovercraft working and construction of simple hovercraft and its has also video tutorial about its working.
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Objective<\/span><\/h3>\n

In this experiment you will test if different volumes of air will cause a balloon powered hovercraft to travel for longer periods of time.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Introduction<\/span><\/h3>\n

A hovercraft is a vehicle that glides over a smooth surface by hovering upon an air cushion. Because of this, a hovercraft is also called an Air-Cushion Vehicle or ACV. The hovercraft creates vents of air, which are trapped beneath the vehicle by a curtain surrounding the base. These currents of air can create an air cushion on any smooth surface, land or water! Since a hovercraft can travel upon the surface of water, it is also called an amphibious vehicle. Here is a picture of a modern hovercraft and a diagram showing how the air vents create the air cushion (Wikipedia, 2007):<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a>
How does a Hovercraft Work?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
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This image shows a modern style hovercraft which carries passengers over the surface of the water. (Wikipedia, 2007)<\/span><\/td>\n This image shows how the air vents moving through the hovercraft create the air cushion below the craft for movement: 1) propellers, 2) air currents, 3) fan, and 4) flexible skirt. (Wikipedia, 2007)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

How does the air cushion beneath the hovercraft allow the vehicle to glide to freely? The key to the ease of movement is reducing friction. Vents of slowly moving, low-pressure air are ejected downwards against the surface close below it creating the air cushion. The air is trapped beneath the hovercraft by a flexible skirt, also called the curtain. The trapped air cushion greatly reduces the friction of the vehicle, allowing it to glide freely upon the smooth surface below.<\/p>\n

In this experiment, you will build your own mini hovercraft using a CD, recycled bottle, and a balloon. You will use balloons of different sizes to test if more air will cause the hovercraft to travel for longer periods of time. A large balloon will provide a larger volume of air, and a small balloon will provide a smaller volume of air. Will a larger balloon make the hovercraft travel longer than a smaller balloon?<\/p>\n

Terms, Concepts and Questions to Start Background Research<\/span><\/h4>\n

To do this type of experiment you should know what the following terms mean. Have an adult help you search the Internet, or take you to your local library to find out more!<\/p>\n