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Movement in the Air
Reference chapter
Question 2
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PDF Version
Study the information in the table and answer the questions which follow
it.
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Insect |
speed
(m/s) |
body mass
(mg) |
wing surface
(mm2) |
mass of wing muscles
(% of body mass) |
wing beats
(beats/s) |
|
housefly |
2,0 |
12 |
20 |
10,7 |
180-330 |
|
honeybee |
3,0 |
78 |
42 |
13,0 |
180-250 |
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cabbage white butterfly |
2,0 |
127 |
1840 |
7,0 |
9-12 |
|
dragonfly |
8,0 |
530 |
1380 |
24,0 |
20-30 |
|
horsefly |
8,0 |
276 |
184 |
17,0 |
96 |
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hornet |
6,0 |
567 |
260 |
10,6 |
110 |
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cockchaffer beetle |
2,5 |
962 |
642 |
11,0 |
46 |
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hummingbird hawkmoth |
5,0 |
345 |
400 |
14,0 |
72-85 |
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QUESTIONS |
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(a) Which insect flies
(i) the fastest?
(ii) the slowest?
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(b) For each insect, calculate the LOAD carried by its wings as it flies.
LOAD =
BODY MASS in mg
WING SURFACE in mm2
= mg/mm2
(The load in mg divided by the wing surface in mm2)
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(c) Which insect has
(i) a heaviest wing loading?
(ii) a lightest wing loading? |
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(d) Compare the data for the cabbage white butterfly and the dragonfly.
Which factor do you think allows the dragonfly to fly 4 times faster than
the butterfly? Is it its body mass, its wing surface or its flight
muscles? Give reasons for your answer. |
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© Paul Billiet & Shirley Burchill 2009 |
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