PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing

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This 5-minute video explains how modern sailboats move forward by generating lift. The video explores the aerodynamic forces generated by two parts of the sailboat: the sails and the keel. These forces, when properly adjusted by the sailor, counteract each other to generate forward movement.

See Related Materials for a teaching module on the physics of sailing and an article from "Physics Central" that explains how to sail faster than the wind speed.

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https://oeta.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/kqed09.sci.phys.maf.kqe...

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Classical Mechanics - Newton's Second Law = Force, Acceleration - Newton's Third Law = Action/Reaction Fluid Mechanics - Dynamics of Fluids = Bernoulli's Principle	- High School - Middle School - Informal Education	- Instructional Material = Activity - Audio/Visual = Movie/Animation

Intended Users	Formats	Ratings
- Learners - General Publics	- video/quicktime - text/html	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 2004 KQED Public Media
Keywords:: Bernoulli, drag, dynamics, lift force, sailboat dynamics, sailboats, thrust
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created October 1, 2011 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: August 19, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: September 30, 2010
Other Collections:: The Physics Front

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AAAS Benchmark Alignments (2008 Version)

4. The Physical Setting

4F. Motion

6-8: 4F/M3a. An unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed or direction of motion, or both.
9-12: 4F/H4. Whenever one thing exerts a force on another, an equal amount of force is exerted back on it.

8. The Designed World

8B. Materials and Manufacturing

9-12: 8B/H1. Manufacturing processes have been changed by improved tools and techniques based on more thorough scientific understanding, increases in the forces that can be applied and the temperatures that can be reached, and the availability of electronic controls that make operations occur more rapidly and consistently.

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=11487">KQED Public Media. PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing. San Francisco: KQED Public Media, September 30, 2010.</a>

AIP Format

(KQED Public Media, San Francisco, 2004), WWW Document, (https://oeta.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/kqed09.sci.phys.maf.kqedsailing/the-physics-of-sailing/).

AJP/PRST-PER

PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing (KQED Public Media, San Francisco, 2004), <https://oeta.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/kqed09.sci.phys.maf.kqedsailing/the-physics-of-sailing/>.

APA Format

PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing. (2010, September 30). Retrieved April 25, 2024, from KQED Public Media: https://oeta.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/kqed09.sci.phys.maf.kqedsailing/the-physics-of-sailing/

Chicago Format

KQED Public Media. PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing. San Francisco: KQED Public Media, September 30, 2010. https://oeta.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/kqed09.sci.phys.maf.kqedsailing/the-physics-of-sailing/ (accessed 25 April 2024).

MLA Format

PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing. San Francisco: KQED Public Media, 2004. 30 Sep. 2010. 25 Apr. 2024 <https://oeta.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/kqed09.sci.phys.maf.kqedsailing/the-physics-of-sailing/>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Title = {PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing}, Publisher = {KQED Public Media}, Volume = {2024}, Number = {25 April 2024}, Month = {September 30, 2010}, Year = {2004} }

Refer Export Format

%T PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing %D September 30, 2010 %I KQED Public Media %C San Francisco %U https://oeta.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/kqed09.sci.phys.maf.kqedsailing/the-physics-of-sailing/ %O video/quicktime

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %D September 30, 2010 %T PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing %I KQED Public Media %V 2024 %N 25 April 2024 %8 September 30, 2010 %9 video/quicktime %U https://oeta.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/kqed09.sci.phys.maf.kqedsailing/the-physics-of-sailing/

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Citation Source Information

The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References.

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PBS Learning Media: The Physics of Sailing:

Covers the Same Topic As Physclips: The Physics of Sailing

This resource from Physclips provides in-depth content support on the topic of sailboat dynamics.

relation by Caroline Hall

Covers the Same Topic As Teach Engineering: May the Force Be With You - Lift

A 50-minute lesson for Grades 5-7 on how airplane wings are designed, using Bernoulli's Principle to create lift.

relation by Caroline Hall

Supplements TryEngineering: Sail Away

A classroom activity for grades 6-10 in which students construct, test, and reconfigure a model sailboat that will hold a set weight, harness wind energy from a fan, and move one meter.

relation by Caroline Hall

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