Final answer:
Drag force's impact on paper airplanes was exemplified by Sanjay's experiments with light, medium, and heavy paper. Increased mass results in greater drag, affecting flight distance. Understanding and managing drag is crucial in aviation and numerous other fields.
Step-by-step explanation:
Drag effects on paper airplanes become more pronounced with the increase in mass. The experiments Sanjay conducted with paper airplanes made from light, medium, and heavy weights of paper illustrate the influence of drag force. As mass increases, the ability of an object to warp or distort the air around it—similarly to how a heavy object distorts a rubber sheet—also increases, which can influence both the flight distance and stability of paper airplanes.
Drag is a force that opposes the motion of an object through a fluid, such as air. For objects like paper airplanes, drag can be detrimental to flight distance. According to fluid dynamics, the drag force is often proportional to the square of the speed of the object moving through the air.
Sanjay's paper airplanes likely experienced variable distances based on their weights. The heavier planes might not have flown as far due to higher drag forces acting on them. Wright brothers' investigations into flight and the concept of wing warping underscore the importance of controlling drag in aviation. Similarly, in applications like skydiving and automotive design, reducing drag is crucial to improving performance. For example, skydivers reach terminal velocity when the drag force equals their weight, and car designers aim to shape vehicles to minimize drag and enhance gas mileage.