The Twirling Maple Seed

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Watch the “Twirling Maple Seed” movie clip. Why does the seed fall in a spiral? How is the shape similar to a propeller? How could you help students to understand how a propeller works, or why the maple seed twirls when it falls? The seed falls in a spiral because of the aerodynamic shape of the wing-like structure of the seed. This structure has the appearance of the wing of a dragonfly. The maple seed itself is at one end with the wing attached at the other end. The maple seed end is heavier, and this causes the seed to twirl as it falls. The twirling slows down the seed and allows it to catch a crosswind that will carry it farther away in order to disperse it. It is similar to a propeller because of the wing of the seed has the shape of one blade of the propeller fan. I could help students to understand how a propeller works or why the maple seed twirls when it falls by explaining the idea of air resistance and surface area. The maple seed falls slowly down to the ground because of the low air pressure that is created just above the thicker edge of the wing of the maple seed. This low air pressure results from the motion of the wing as it travels down in a spiral. This air pressure is actually a tornado-like vortex that is created above the thicker edge of the wing. This vortex gives an upward push to the maple seed in the opposite direction of gravity. This makes the descent of the seed take more time and so it is in the air or “flying” and twirling through the air till it finally reaches the ground. This principle is the same that is used to keep helicopters in the air. Engineers have devised a “monocopter” with a single wing similar to the maple seed and have been successful in keeping it aloft in the air with the use of remote control as well as a motor. The Wright brothers used the principle of air resistance in the maple seed fall to design
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