Airplane Puzzle Question

[sampuu]

People seemed to have missed my post about the spinning wheels. the wheels themselves would be spinning twice as fast because they are on free axels, the plane will go at the same speed because it doesnt need the wheels to take of, it only uses them to stop the undercarriage from being torn off by friction.

I've not :happysad:
I have mentioned it several times...

 

[warlordste]

the plane will take off and it will take just as long as a normal one would

 

[Nathan H]

Well, i did do physics and i'm going to university so i must have something going for me . I think the main cause of arguments like this is people consider planes in the same way as cars, a car would not go anywhere on a conveyor belt becuase the power is transfered through the wheels.

 

[sampuu]

how about... what if the wheels got jammed
would the plane then move along the conveyor?

 

[tnl2k7]

I don't think so. Because if you're moving the plane backwards at a speed equal of that thatis trying to pull forwards, there'll be resistance pushing it back. In short, the engines won't be able to pull forwards.

-Luke.

 

[sampuu]

But if the wheels are jammed, wont it be moved by the belt (maybe you misunderstood, that's what I mean before)?

 

[alexandgruntz]

The plane will not take off at all. A plane relies on the air rushing underneath the wings to take off. To achieve this, it needs to be physically moving. A conveyor belt will not allow it to move, and it will simply stay 'still'.

This is also why helicopters do not need runways - they can generate their own lift via the propellers. It is also why planes are not able to hover - they require constant motion.

 

[GG-Xtreme]

Hmm...we're finally getting people on the 'No' side.

Edit: Also, to anyone who was wondering, I forgot something in the question: assume the wheels and tires of the plane are indestructible.

 

[sampuu]

The plane will not take off at all. A plane relies on the air rushing underneath the wings to take off. To achieve this, it needs to be physically moving. A conveyor belt will not allow it to move, and it will simply stay 'still'.

But if the power isn't transferred through the wheels then surely the movement of the belt is irrelevant?

Edit: Also, to anyone who was wondering, I forgot something in the question: assume the wheels and tires of the plane are indestructible.

Ahh thats changing the circumstances... cheater

 

[Nathan H]

Another problem is mentioned, a plane does NOT require air moving over the wings to move, only to achieve flight, power is transfered through the pushing of hot exhaust out of the engines, Einstein put this in great word, "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction" as air is pushed out the engines, the engines are pushed forwards. This works for the conveyor as well, since the wheels have nothing connected to them pulling a conveyour below them simply spins the wheels in the opposite direction.

 

[galaxyAbstractor]

"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction"

Wasn't it newton who said that?

 

[GG-Xtreme]

Wasn't it newton who said that?

I believe you are correct. But that is irrelevant in answering the question. It really doesn't require much thinking, the main problem is over-thinking it.