Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

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It's crazy that a 60 ton metal airplane can just fly (lemmy.world)

submitted 5 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

192 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I flew for the first time on a plane last week and I've seen planes take off at the airport. It looks crazy. But being on one is totally different like holy shit. The thing just FLIES. It just.... Soars... Through the sky! Like whoa man. Wtf... It's crazy. With how much these things weigh, it's insane to me the thing can just go up and bam, there we are, we're flying now. Like wow... Dude crazy.

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[+] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago (2 children)

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Keep this handy for this situation.... https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/VirtualAero/BottleRocket/airplane/wrong1.html

See #3. Wings are not constrictions in a tube.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

From your source:

{The upper flow is faster and from Bernoulli's equation the pressure is lower. The difference in pressure across the airfoil produces the lift.} As we have seen in Experiment #1, this part of the theory is correct.

Sure, it might be more complicated and there are other forces at play. Also, top and bottom air molecules may not reach the backside of an airfoil at the exact same time, but that doesn't diminish the effects of this pressure differential on lifting force.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Sorry, i meant in the classical form of bernoulli's equation it's been a while. It's common for people to suggest the wing is half a venturi, then try to apply 1DOF algebraic equations which don't work here.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 days ago

Bernoulli's principle is certainly involved, but the full explanation is more complicated and arguably beyond high school level:

Although the two simple Bernoulli-based explanations above are incorrect, there is nothing incorrect about Bernoulli's principle or the fact that the air goes faster on the top of the wing, and Bernoulli's principle can be used correctly as part of a more complicated explanation of lift.