Scribd
Upload
118 views

Math 1010 Eportfolio

(1) The document describes how zero-gravity parabolic flights are used to simulate weightlessness. A specialized aircraft climbs to altitude, dives down, and follows a large parabolic path to create brief periods of zero-gravity for up to 20 seconds. (2) The lab uses data from a parabolic flight to determine the maximum altitude reached. A quadratic model is fitted to the data, and the maximum value is calculated. (3) By solving the system of equations, the quadratic model is determined to be h = -10t^2 + 685t + 22315. The maximum altitude of 34045.625 feet is reached at 34.25 seconds.

Uploaded by

api-254068401
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
118 views

Math 1010 Eportfolio

(1) The document describes how zero-gravity parabolic flights are used to simulate weightlessness. A specialized aircraft climbs to altitude, dives down, and follows a large parabolic path to create brief periods of zero-gravity for up to 20 seconds. (2) The lab uses data from a parabolic flight to determine the maximum altitude reached. A quadratic model is fitted to the data, and the maximum value is calculated. (3) By solving the system of equations, the quadratic model is determined to be h = -10t^2 + 685t + 22315. The maximum altitude of 34045.625 feet is reached at 34.25 seconds.

Uploaded by

api-254068401
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Height of a Zero Gravity Parabolic

Flight
Have you ever wondered what it might feel
like to float weightless in space? One way to
try it out is to fly on a special aircraft that
astronauts use to train for their trips to
space. Both NASA and the Russian Space
Agency have been flying these for years.
The way this is accomplished is to fly to a
high altitude, drop down to gain speed, and
then start a large parabolic path up in the
sky. For a time ranging from 10 to 20
seconds, along the top part of the parabolic flight, an environment simulating
zero gravity is created within the plane. This effect can cause some nausea in the
participants, giving rise to the name Vomit Comet, the plane used by NASA for
zero-G parabolic training flights. Currently there is a private company that will
sell you a zero-G ride, though it is a bit expensive.
This lab will have you take a look at the parabolic path to try to determine the
maximum altitude the plane reaches. First, you will work with data given about the
parabola to come up with a quadratic model for the flight. Then you will work to find
the maximum value of the model. Now for the data:

Height of a Zero-G Flight t Seconds


After
2
23645

20
40
32015
33715
Starting a Parabolic Flight Path

Time t in seconds
Height h in feet
To find the quadratic model, you will be plugging the data into the model =
at2 +bt+c. The data points given are just like x and y values, where the x

value is the time t in seconds and the y value is the altitude h in feet. Plug
these into the model and you will get equations with a, b and c.

Part 1: Write your 3 by 3 system of equations for a, b, and c.

(1) 4a+2b+c=23645
(2) 400a+20b+c=32015
(3) 1600a+40b+c=33715
Part 2: Solve this system. Make sure to show your work.
400a+20b+c=32015
r2-r1
- 4a
-2b -c=-23645
396a+18b=8370

=new row 4

1600a+40b+c=33715

r3-r2

-400a -20b -c=-32015


1200a+20b=1700

=new row 5

3960a
+180b= 83700 (4*10)-(5*9)
-10800a -180b =-15300
-6840a =68400
Simplify
a=-10

1200(-10)+20b=1700
12000+20b=1
700
20b=13700
b=685

Substitute a into new row 5 and


Simplify

Substitute a and b into (1) and


4(-10)+2(685)+c=23645 solve
1340 +c=23645
c=22315
a=-10
b=684
c=22315

Part 3: Using your solutions to the system from part 2 to form your quadratic model
of the data.
h = -10t2 + 685t + 22315

Part 4: Find the maximum value of the quadratic function. Make sure to show your
work.
-b / 2a = -685/2(-10) = 34.25
h=-10(34.25)2+685(34.25)+22315
(Substitute into formula
and Simplify) h=-11730.625+23461.25+22315 h=34045.625

Part 5: Sketch the parabola. Label the given data plus the maximum point. A good
way to start labeling your axis is to have the lower left point be (0, 20000)

Time
2

23645

10
20
30
33
34.2
5
40
50
60

28165
32015
33865
34015
34045.625 (Max)
33715
31565
27415

Part 6: Reflective Writing.

Height (-10(t-34.25)2+34045.625)

I can definitely see how math can be applied to the real


world. Understanding its application in the real world,
such as the above project takes what was abstract
numbers and puts it into a real world, although totally
inapplicable to my life, scenario. I can certainly see how
graphing can relate data in a real and visible way which
would be helpful in understanding a rise or fall in
information.
While I can see how this assignment helped to place
abstract concepts into real world scenarios the truth is
that most of the math we learn is only applicable to very
narrow real life situations. I suppose I could try to balance
my check book with a quadratic equation or factoring but
in the real world Ill just stick with basic subtraction.

You might also like