Could the plane take off ??
By patootie
@patootie (3592)
December 23, 2006 11:34am CST
What do you make of this thorny old physics question ...
"A plane is standing on a runway that is made of a large conveyor belt. The plane fires up its engines, but as it moves forward, the conveyor belt senses the speed of the plane's wheels and moves at exactly the same speed in the opposite direction. Can the plane take off?"
1 response
@josephperera (2906)
• Sri Lanka
23 Dec 06
I think the plane will take off. When the plane is speeding along the runway, it is not the wheels that is giving the push. I think it it the thrust of the engines that take the plane forward.
Because the wheels does not play the major role at this time, the plane will move forward and then take off.
