Effectiveness of the Thickness of the Paper on the Flight of the Paper Airplane.

Buenaflor, Julo Isaac B.

ABSTRACT
Abstract

Paper airplanes have been a source of happiness, like the Philippines. It has become a
source of income for others too. According to paperairplaneshq.com, there are over fifty
different types of paper airplanes. In the experiment the researcher use 3 different papers to
make a paper airplane but the size of wingspan and the all of the details are also same. The
paper airplanes picked randomly and thrown one by one from the starting point by the only
one person to make sure there are no biases. After all of the paper airplanes were thrown,
the researcher recorded the distance of the paper airplane from the starting point.The results
shows that the thicker the paper airplane the longer the distance it travels. Because the
thicker the paper it can travel fast and travel longer, while it’s not that thick, the paper
airplane can’t travel fast and longer.As the researcher observed the results,the thickness of
the paper can affect the flight of the paper airplane. The thicker the paper the longer the
distance it travels.

INTRODUCTION
Introduction

Paper airplanes have been a source of
happiness, like the Philippines. It has
become a source of income for others too.
According to paperairplaneshq.com, there
are over fifty different types of paper
airplanes. Where did paper airplanes
originate from? The use of paper airplanes is
believed to have originated 2,000 years ago
in China . The earliest known date of the
creation of modern paper planes was said to
have been in 1909. However, the most
accepted version of the creation was two
decades later in 1930 by Jack Northrop, as
stated in the report of www.aviation-for-
kids.com/paper-airplanes.
apart, while others need effort. Some are
smooth, some are rough. This study aims to
prove if various papers of various thickness
has an effect on the flight performance.
This study’s purpose is to inform the
public of being aware of what effects different
types of paper make or cause. Although this
study is not necessarily helpful to humanity at
first glance. It can give insights to future
researchers of possible effects of different
types of the same product.

Paper has different types. The cause

for these various types are the differences in
its fibers. Some are thin as cloth, some are
thick like a stick. Others can be easily ripped
Methodology
METHODOLOGY
Phase 1- Gathering of materials.
3 types of paper with different
thickness were bought from a bookstore,
measuring tape were bought from a
hardware.
Phase 2- Making of Paper Airplanes.
The researcher made the paper
airplanes with different thickness of the paper
but the paper airplanes have the same size
of wingspan and all of the details.
Phase 3- Experimentation.
The paper airplanes picked randomly and
thrown one by one from the starting point by
the only one person to make sure there are
no biases. After all of the paper airplanes
were thrown, the researcher recorded the
distance of the paper airplane from the
starting point.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Paper Thickness Distance
Airplane (mm) Travelled
1 0.12mm 4.4201m
2 0.09mm 3.7084m
3 0.08mm 3.048m
The results shows that the thicker the paper
airplane the longer the distance it travels.
Because while the plane is flying forward, air
moving over and under the wings is providing
an upward lift force on the plane. At the same
time, air pushing back against the plane is
slowing it down, creating a drag force. The
weight of the paper plane also affects its
flight, as gravity pulls it down towards earth.
When you throw paper plane in the air, you
are giving the plane a push to move forward.
If the paper plane has enough thrust and the
wings are properly designed, the plane will
have a nice long flight. But there is more than
lack of thrust and poor wing design that gets
a paper plane to come back to earth. The
heavier the paper airplane the longer the
distance it travels at the same time as to
compare to a rock that is thrown pushes its
way through the air as compared to a cotton
ball, a paper airplane with more mass flies
faster and farther than a paper airplane with
less mass, up to a point. If the mass is too
great, the wings can’t hold the plane in the air.
CONCLUSION
Conclusion
As the researcher observed the
results,the thickness of the paper can affect
the flight of the paper airplane. The thicker
the paper the longer the distance it travels.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation

Based on the results and conclusion,

the following recommendations were given:

 More space on the area where the

paper airplanes were thrown.

 Close area to make make sure that

there is an amount of air
needed.

References
REFERENCES

n.a2018-
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bri
ng-science-home-paper-planes-drag/



n.a2018-
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-
projects/.../how-far-will-paper-planes-fly



n.a2018-
http://www.perkinselearning.org/accessible-
science/activities/how-does-wingspan-affect-
flight-distance