The Physics of Flight

The Physics of Flight

The trials and tribulations of flight have had their ups and downs over the course of history. From the many who failed to the few that conquered; the thought of flight has always astonished us all. The Wright brothers were the first to sustain flight and therefore are credited with the invention of the airplane. John Allen who wrote Aerodynamics: The Science of Air in Motion says, “The Wright Brothers were the supreme example of their time of men gifted with practical skill, theoretical knowledge and insight” (6). As we all know, the airplane has had thousands of designs since then, but for the most part the physics of flight has remained the same. As you can see, the failures that occurred while trying to fly only prove that flight is truly remarkable.

Flight uses four forces: lift, weight, thrust, and drag. In a nutshell; so to speak, an airplane must create enough lift to support its own weight. Secondly, the airplane must produce thrust to propel itself. Finally, the aircraft must overcome the drag or the force of resistance on the airplane that is moving through the air. All four of these forces are vital and necessary for an aircraft to move, takeoff, fly, and land.

Wings create lift for the upward force of an airplane. A great example of how this happens is sticking your hand out of a car window driving down the freeway. The force on your flat palm causes a force that can lift your hand up or down by changing the

angles of your wrist. Another way to explain this is by the concept of the Bernoulli Effect. According to Kirkpatrick and Wheeler; authors of Physics: A World View, the concept of lift is due to the Bernoulli Effect. They state: “The upper surfaces of airplane wings are curved ...

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...e in any one of these forces leads to a change in the others” (139). A pilot can use many different controls and means of propulsion to change and manipulate the balance of these forces. By doing this the pilot is able to change their speed and change their direction. The Physics of Flight are truly unbelievable occurrences that create amazing effects. Without the concept of flight we would live in a totally different world.

Works Cited

Allen, John. Aerodynamics: The Science of Air in Motion. London: Granada Publishing Limited, 1982.

Kirkpatrick, Larry, and Gerald F. Wheeler. Physics: A World View. 4th ed. Orlando: Harcourt College Publishers, 2001.

Shevell, Richard. Fundamentals of Flight. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1989.

“How an Airplane Flies,” Microsoft ® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2003

http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation.