Slowest falling spinner
You will compare the falling time of a paper spinner from one low height. A broad wing may slow the fall, but changing its fold also changes how the spinner turns.
- Science
- Explorer
- About 20 minutes
Help needed: yes for setup, nearby supervision and handling water or small items
What you need
- Paper
- A paperclip handled by someone
- A timer
- A helper to prepare hand-torn wings
The rule
Drop from the same height each time.
How to do it
- Ask someone to hand-tear a wide paper strip.
- Have them tear down its top centre halfway to make two wings.
- Fold one wing forwards and the other backwards.
- Ask the helper to clip the uncut bottom with a paperclip.
- Drop the spinner from one marked low height while timing.
- Change one wing fold and repeat from the same height.
Why it works
Gravity pulls the spinner down, while air forces act on its moving paper surfaces. The opposite wing folds can produce a turning effect as air moves past them. That motion and the wing area affect the drag resisting the fall. A longer wing does not guarantee a slower landing because balance, folds and mass matter too. Keeping the paperclip and drop height unchanged helps you connect a time difference to the wing change you made.
Make it harder
- Make both wing folds more shallow.
- Compare two similar hand-torn wing lengths.
- Seek a longer fall time without adding weight or changing height.
Ask Taz
- Why does a folded wing make the spinner turn?
- Why does the paperclip change its balance?
- Why must the starting height stay the same?
Before you start
A helper prepares tears and handles the clip, keeping it away from younger learners. Drop only from a low reachable height, without climbing. Very short times are difficult to measure precisely. Ask at dinner: “How would you tell whether a slower result came from the wings or a different release?”
Taz is an AI and can be wrong, so check what matters. Read how safety works on Taz.
Show us yours
Film your hands and what you made, not your face or name. If you are under 18, ask a parent or guardian before posting anywhere else.
Common questions
Can we use what we already have?
Start with the listed household materials. Keep the basic setup small and choose suitable items before beginning. The stated time is an estimate, so let the observation decide whether you need longer.
What should we record?
Note the prediction, the result and the one thing you changed. Keeping those separate helps everyone discuss what happened without turning an activity into a competition.
Must the result be shared online?
No. A conversation at home is enough. If you choose to share, keep identifying details out and follow the privacy line above.
More to try
See all Taz Challenges, or look through the science labs. One place for every why. Start exploring at aitaz.com
Try it in 3D: Aerodynamics.