The maple seed’s falling wing.

Why does the wing buy time for a crosswind?

Setting up the mechanism…

Approximate terminal descent: 2.61m/s
Modeled airborne time: 0.00s

Wind drift: 0.00m

Fit the specimen and set conditions before running.

Why does the wing buy time for a crosswind?

A maple samara rotates as it falls. Its wing produces aerodynamic support, prolonging descent. The simplified terminal-speed model connects that time to sideways wind drift.

v = √(2mg/(ρCeA)); drift = wind · height/v

What this model simplifies

Terminal-speed approximation v=√(2mg/(ρCeA)), air density 1.2 kg/m³, Ce=1.2 lumping autorotation. Ignores acceleration and turbulence; not a dispersal forecast.

Read the source · caltech.edu ↗

Put it to work.

Let a crosswind carry the winged seed at least ten meters in the model.

Make it work.

Compare wing area, descent time and wind drift.

Run

Fine adjustments 4

Seed massg

Effective wing areacm²

Release heightm

Crosswind speedm/s

The maple seed’s falling wing.

Why does the wing buy time for a crosswind?

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The maple seed’s falling wing.

Why does the wing buy time for a crosswind?

Setting up the mechanism…

Approximate terminal descent: 2.61m/s
Modeled airborne time: 0.00s

Wind drift: 0.00m

Fit the specimen and set conditions before running.

Why does the wing buy time for a crosswind?

A maple samara rotates as it falls. Its wing produces aerodynamic support, prolonging descent. The simplified terminal-speed model connects that time to sideways wind drift.

v = √(2mg/(ρCeA)); drift = wind · height/v

What this model simplifies

Terminal-speed approximation v=√(2mg/(ρCeA)), air density 1.2 kg/m³, Ce=1.2 lumping autorotation. Ignores acceleration and turbulence; not a dispersal forecast.

Read the source · caltech.edu ↗

Put it to work.

Let a crosswind carry the winged seed at least ten meters in the model.

Make it work.

Compare wing area, descent time and wind drift.

Run

Fine adjustments 4

Seed massg

Effective wing areacm²

Release heightm

Crosswind speedm/s