SC 30291 Scientific Inquiry and the Nature of Science (SINOS ...

Boomerang: the motion and the distance depend on angles
Wongwanich E., Sindhurattavej N., and Luanthapthim A.
Mahidol Wittayanusorn School, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170,
Thailand.
Introduction: A boomerang is an aerodynamically shaped object designed to fly
efficiently through the air when thrown by hand. The term usually refers to an object
made to follow a circular flight path that returns it to the thrower (McCarthy, 1961).
Boomerang was created first by Aboriginal Neil in South Australia about 20,000
years ago. They made the first breakthrough. Immediately they have invented a
boomerang but it does not reversible, they called it “Kylie” (Kylies). Kylies was used
for hunting.(Thieberger & McGregor, 1994) When throw away a long time. They
were reshaped and developed forms until it can return to the thrower. In some theory,
tribes using these simulated flight of birds. It looks like V-shaped and the wings of
birds. Today, it is not only non-Aboriginal Australians who continue to confuse the
terms. Most people overseas, if they are even aware of two different types of throwsticks,
speak of them all as boomerangs; and even most contemporary Aborigines
today use the terms ‘returning’ and ‘non-returning’ boomerangs when speaking
English. Perhaps it’s so as not to be argumentative; perhaps it’s because the confusion
is now so ingrained that insistence on boomerang for returning sticks only is seen as
pedantic(Fraser, 1893). Many people use boomerang to play in sports and
competition. For example, the longest distance of boomerang was recorded
in Guinness World Record (David, 2005). The boomerang can fly forward and return
(Butz, 1973). We have question how the boomerang can return to thrower. Moreover
we want to study motion of boomerang whether the movement direction depends on
angles.
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SC 30291 Scientific Inquiry and the Nature of Science (SINOS) MWITS 20

Materials and Methods: First used the paper size 29.7 x 10.5 centimeters and folded
follow the clip named “How to make an origami boomerang” or website
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kprLtErg8U. The boomerang has v-shape. Each
wing of the boomerange is 15.0 centimeters and the width of each wing is 2.6
centimeters. When we threw the boomerang, we would study the distance that
depends on the angles by setup the angles at 30, 45, 60, 90 degrees and then we
collected data by repeating 10 times for each angle. Then we would measure along the
x-axis by measuring the distance from the point of thrower.
Results: After we throw the boomerang we collected the data of the distance. and
measured along the x-axis in meters unit.
Table 1 The distance from the boomerang’s thrower that measures along x-axis 10
times for each angles.
0° 30° 45° 60° 90°
1 0.06 1.64 2.05 1.98 3.76
2 0.1 1.09 1.87 2.05 3.51
3 0.15 1.12 1.92 2.14 3.76
4 0.11 0.77 1.96 2.32 3.97
5 0.03 0.94 1.88 2.09 3.38
6 0.16 1.22 1.62 2.33 3.48
7 0.12 1.2 1.83 2.15 4.08
8 0.05 1.22 1.7 1.96 3.47
9 0.29 1.67 1.65 2.23 3.6
10 0.12 1 1.65 2.15 3.66
SUM 1.19 11.87 18.13 21.4 36.67
Average 0.119 1.187 1.813 2.14 3.667
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SC 30291 Scientific Inquiry and the Nature of Science (SINOS) MWITS 20

Table 2 Anova: Single Factor, it shows the data and statistical analysis of data.
Groups Count Sum Average Variance
0 degree 10 1.19 0.119 0.005388
30 degree 10 11.87 1.187 0.080512
45 degree 10 18.13 1.813 0.022268
60 degree 10 21.4 2.14 0.016156
90 degree 10 36.67 3.667 0.051668
Source of
Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit
Between
Groups 68.01893 4 17.00473 483.1134 2.49E-36 2.578739
Within Groups 1.58392 45 0.035198
Total 69.60285 49
From this data, there are differences significant statically. Then we plotted graph
between distance and angle.
Figure 1 The graph show the relationship between the distances and angles.
Conclusion and Discussion: From the result, if we set the size of angles to 0 degree,
the distance is the nearest. If we increase the angles, boomerang will fall farther.
When the degree of angle was increased, the orbit of boomerang will wider
depends on angle. First we choose Printing paper for floding the boomerang and then
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SC 30291 Scientific Inquiry and the Nature of Science (SINOS) MWITS 20

we did the experiment, we found that the boomerang were fallen the floor too fast.
After that we Used card paper instead of the printing paper for folding the boomerang
colour paper to fold boomerang, we found the colour-paper boomerang fly in air
longer than A4 paper boomerang We found that the card paper boomerangs can hold
on. Forces also effect to the distance because when we used more force to throw. The
boomerang will spinned fastly and return to thrower quickly.
According to the research, factors which effect to the distance are:
1. Size of angle – If angle increases the orbit will wider too and boomerang will
fall too slow.
2. Force – If we use more force to throw, the boomerang will fall farther.
3. Materials to make boomerang – If materials that make the boomerang is hard.
The boomerang
References:
Butz, T. (1973). The motion and principle of gyroscope. Boomerang throwing: notes
for instructors, 20, 125-137.
David, S. (Reporter). (2005, March 15). The longest throw with the boomerang,
Canberra: Australia Murrarie Production.
Fraser, J. (1893). Aborigines of New South Wales, Pamphlets issued by the NSW
Commissioners for the World’s Columbian Exposition, 2, 415-450.
McCarthy, F.D.(1961). The Boomerang. The Australian Museum Magazine,13,
25-34.
Thieberger, N., & McGregor, W. (1994), The origin of boomerang & Aborigins.
Macquarie Aboriginal Words, 22, 322-389.
Acknowledgements:
We thank you Ms.Usa Jeenjenkit, Mr.Washirasorn Saengsuwan andMs.Sirimard
Sukpraserd for giving us the comments and suggestions about the experiment and
writing report.
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SC 30291 Scientific Inquiry and the Nature of Science (SINOS) MWITS 20