The Physics of Flight Essay -- Airplanes Aerodynamics Science Essays

The Physics of Flight The trials and tribulations of flight have had their ups and downs over the incline 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 ar credited with the aim of the airplane. John Allen who wrote Aerodynamics The Science of oxygenise in Motion says, The Wright Brothers were the authoritative example of their time of men gifted with practical skill, theoretical companionship and insight (6). As we all know, the airplane has had thousands of designs since then, but for the most straggle the physics of flight has remained the same. As you can see, the failures that occurred while trying to vanish only prove that flight is unfeignedly remark competent.Flight uses four forces rally, weight, thrust, and drag. In a nutshell so to speak, an airplane must create enough lift to support its own weight. Secondly, the airplane mus t produce thrust to ride 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 merry 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 motorcar window driving down the freeway. The force on your flat laurel wreath causes a force that can lift your hand up or down by changing theangles of your wrist. Another way to explain this is by the supposition 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 ... ...e in any one of these forces leads to a change in the others (139). A pilot can use many different controls and centre 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 CitedAllen, John. Aerodynamics The Science of Air in Motion. London Granada Publishing Limited, 1982.Kirkpatrick, Larry, and Gerald F. Wheeler. Physics A World View. fourth ed. Orlando Harcourt College Publishers, 2001.Shevell, Richard. Fundamentals of Flight. New Jersey Prentice Hall, 1989.How an Airplane Flies, Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2003http//encarta.msn.com 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation.