An airplane is sitting on an enormous treadmill. As the plane starts its engines, the treadmill runs in the opposite direction at the same speed the plane is moving. Can the plane take off?
An airplane is sitting on an enormous treadmill. As the plane starts its engines, the treadmill runs in the opposite direction at the same speed the plane is moving. Can the plane take off?
of course not. a plane develops lift from the air traveling over the wings.
Which is exaclty why the plane CAN get airborne.
Well, as long as the speed on the plane is registering over 150mph it should be able to get lift-off, assuming that the incline on the treadmill is set to 8% or over. (I learned this in physics)
Care to elaborate on how air is traveling over the wings?
Here's a hint: any air that might pushed by the engines themselves is not going to come close to being enough
Maybe later; I'm curious about what other people will think.
Easy 10 wrote:
Maybe later; I'm curious about what other people will think.
Don't worry about it. You're incorrect anyway.
Me thinks...
If the plane is moving 150 MPH and the ground is moving 0 MPH, then the plane is moving at 150 MPH. And if the plane is moving 0 MPH while the ground is moving -150 MPH then the plane is moving 150 MPH RELATIVELY and therefore can takeoff.
...possibly
it doesn't matter how fast the ground is moving relative to the plane. the AIR has to be moving that fast too.
I agree entirely.
Being on the treamill is no different that putting it up on cider blocks and doing the same thing.
Right - if it's in a windtunnel, sure.
My answer NO!
The plane occupies a space on the earth, which has air contained in that space, unless it moves across the face of the earth and causes air to pass over it's wings then it cannot generate lift.
(I'm an accounting student and I know this)
Counter question: When running on the tread mill at the gym do you "generate your own wind"?
No, thats why they have big fans to cool you off.
Anyone have a dissenting opinion?
The thrust from the engines is being applied to the plane, which will cause it to move forward relative to the ground and surrounding air, absent any countermanding force. The treadmill acceleration is applied to the wheels, which will need to spin fast enough to accomodate the two additive forces (plane moving in one direction, ground in the other).
no. it moves forward relative to the ground (treadmill), but not to the surrounding air.
honestly, do you people learn your science from the x-files or something? if this were possible, don't you think we'd be using it on aircraft carriers? i can only hope that the people who think this is possible are the same ones who think that gravity pulls in a direction other than down; that way, i know we have all the idiots in one place.
I'm not entirely sure how planes work but don't they push off of the air? That means that all the treadmill would do is make the wheels spin twice as fast. That would be impractical and pointless and so would not be used on aircraft carriers. Never the less, the plane should be able to take off despite being on a treadmill.
All of you are wrong. The plane does not move forward by powering its wheels. It moves forward by using its ingines to pull it through the air (which is basically stationary). The wheels are free spinning and exert a negligible amount of friction on the plane itself.
So, although the wheels will be turning twice as fast, the plane will still move normally. Which of course means it will be able to take off.
Wow, I'm pretty stupid. Engines, and stationery.
Easy 10 wrote:
All of you are wrong. The plane does not move forward by powering its wheels. It moves forward by using its ingines to pull it through the air (which is basically stationary). The wheels are free spinning and exert a negligible amount of friction on the plane itself.
So, although the wheels will be turning twice as fast, the plane will still move normally. Which of course means it will be able to take off.
Wrong. It must move relative to the air. It is not doing this in the scenario you presented.
Sorry I did not see your reply jrm.
"Stationary" is the word you wanted.
"Stationery" refers to writing materials.