Parachute
device · 1783 · Industrial Revolution
A canopy that slows a fall; the knapsack parachute is Kotelnikov’s, 1911.
What it is made of
- Rope — has part. The lines are ropes.
- Parachute canopy — has part. Cloth that creates air resistance.
- Suspension lines — has part. They connect the canopy to the harness.
- Harness — has part. Straps that hold a person.
- Parachute pack — has part. The packed canopy and the deployment mechanism.
Principles and materials it uses
- Drag — uses. The canopy creates drag.
- Silk — is made of. The canopy is silk.
- Textile — is made of. A parachute canopy is sewn from light, strong fabric — first silk, later nylon.
- Nylon — is made of. Modern canopies are sewn from nylon.
Where it is used
History: what it evolved from and what it influenced
- Paraglider — evolved into. A parachute wing.