When you think of a parachute the first image that comes to mind is that of a skydiver. The canopy of the parachute overhead as the sky diver gently floats down to earth, but what makes the parachute a device safe enough to trust a life with? Can the size of the parachute matter? How about the material it is made from?What about the weight?

These are a few questions which when answered can translate into a good science fair project. The variables that you can consider include the load that parachute must carry. How heavy or light is the load? Is it a small stone or a big stuffed toy? Then think of the height from which it is to be dropped. Will you throw it down from the first floor or the top of the school roof?

What material will you use to make the parachute? Is there a specific length of string that you will be adhering to? How about the material of the string? The shape of the parachute can also be varied. In case of the sky diver we usually see a rectangular shaped one. However the parachute can be circular, or even triangular in shape.

The shape and weight of the parachute will affect the way the parachute functions.So keep all that in mind as you set out to build the ideal parachute for you load in the science project. Tabulate all your attempts and share the data on the display board to show how you got the best parachute for you load going.