Why do airplanes fly?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Wings create lift force
Wings create lift force ✓ — Correct! Wings are curved on top and flatter below. As the plane moves forward, air flows faster over the curved top (Bernoulli's principle) creating lower pressure above. More, the wing's angle deflects air downward. By Newton's third law, pushing air down creates an equal upward force - lift! When lift exceeds weight, the plane flies. Engines provide forward speed; wings generate lift!
Propellers pull them upward — Wrong. Propellers (or jet engines) provide forward thrust, not upward lift. Wings generate the upward lift force by directing air downward as the plane moves forward.
Low pressure sucks them up — Wrong. While pressure differences contribute, it's more accurate to say wings redirect air downward, creating an upward reaction force (Newton's third law). Engines move the plane forward; wings create lift.
More Physics in Daily Life questions
- In a warm office that already reads 26 C, which change can make people feel cooler without lowering the thermostat?
- Why might 26 C feel acceptable in a breezy naturally ventilated summer building but too warm in a sealed winter office?
- On a warm humid day, why can the same 27 C room feel much worse once you start sweating?
- Why can moving air make a 27 C room feel cooler without changing the thermometer?
- Which hidden factor can make a desk beside a cold window feel chilly even when the thermostat across the room still reads 22 C?
- In the same 22 C room, why might someone who just climbed stairs feel warm while someone sitting in a T-shirt feels chilly?