Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate 

Exploring Drag

 

See what factors affect the force of drag. Suggested Grades: K-12

Activity Overview

Explore the effect of drag on the motion of various 

objects of different weights, shapes and sizes. 

Drag acts opposite to the direction of motion of the 

object that is moving. Drag is the resistive force on an 

object as it attempts to move through a fluid (such as air 

or water). 

Steps

1. First, let’s explore how weight affects drag.

2. Prepare sets of regular coffee filters of different 

weights by creating stacks of one, two, three, 

four and nine coffee filters. Staple the stacks together at the base so they will not come 

apart. Label each stack with the number of coffee filters in that stack. Because each stack 

has a different number of filters in it, each stack has a different weight. See Figure 1. 

Figure 1. Make five coffee filter stacks, each containing a different number of filters

3. Hold the stacks containing one and two filters next to each other at the same height. Drop 

them both at the same time and note any differences in motion.

4. Repeat Step 2 with the stacks of one and three, one and four, and one and nine filters. 

5. If you have a timer, drop each stack from the same height, and record how long it takes 

to fall to the ground.

6. Was there a difference in how quickly each stack fell? Remember that drag slows down 

motion through the air. Based on what you observed, how do you think weight affects 

the drag on an object? 

Time: 30 minutes

Materials

• 25 standard-sized coffee filters

• Paper cupcake/muffin liners

• Stapler

• Marker

• Kitchen scale (or other means of 

determining the weight of a small 

object)

Optional Materials

• Large (10-gallon) coffee filter

• Timer 
7. Next, let’s explore how an object’s shape affects the force of drag that acts on it. 

8. Remove the staple from the stack of nine coffee filters. 

9. Crumple up one of the coffee filters so it has the same weight but a different shape than 

a regular filter. See Figure 2. 

Figure 2. The coffee filters weigh the same but have different shapes

10. Hold the regular and crumpled filters next to each other at the same height. Drop them 

at the same time and pay attention to any differences in motion. 

11. Use the other filters to try different shapes. Can you make a filter into a shape that falls 

at about the same rate as the regular filter?

12. If you have a timer, drop each shape you made and the regular filter from the same 

height. Record the amount of time it takes for a filter to hit the ground. Try dropping one 

coffee filter face up and another one face down.

13. Was there a difference in the time it took each shape to fall? Based on what you observed, 

would you say that the shape of an object affects the drag that acts on it? 

14. Finally, let’s see how the size of an object affects the drag that acts on the object.

15. Gather one large (ten-gallon) coffee filter, one regular sized coffee filter and one 

cupcake/muffin liner as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Use similarly shaped objects that are different sizes

16. Drop the coffee filters and the cupcake/muffin liners at the same time from the same 

height. Describe any differences in their motion that you see. 

17. Based on what you observed, do you think the size of an object affects the drag that acts 

on it?