Understanding Vertical Forces on an Airplane During Takeoff
Overview
In this video, we investigate the vertical forces acting on an airplane during takeoff, specifically focusing on gravity, normal force, and lift.
Key Points
- Initial Forces: When the plane is stationary, the only forces acting on it are gravity and normal force, which are equal, resulting in no motion or acceleration. For a deeper understanding of normal force, you can check out Understanding Normal Force: A Comprehensive Guide.
- Thrust Force: As the plane begins to move, a thrust force is introduced, which propels the plane forward.
- Lift Force: As the speed of the plane increases, the lift force also increases, eventually leading to takeoff. To learn more about the dynamics of lift, refer to Understanding Aircraft Performance: A Comprehensive Overview of Flight Mechanics.
- Force Balance: While on the runway, the vertical acceleration is zero, meaning the upward forces (normal and lift) must equal the downward force (gravity). This is expressed in the equation: Normal Force + Lift Force = Gravity. For more on how normal force interacts with weight, see Understanding Normal Force: Weight, Apparent Weight, and Scales.
- Takeoff Dynamics: Once the plane takes off, the normal force becomes zero as it is no longer in contact with the ground.
Conclusion
The video effectively illustrates the relationship between these forces and how they contribute to the airplane's ability to take off.
Hope you enjoyed today’s video!
good morning today we're going to investigate the vertical forces acting on a plane while it's taking off
and so currently as the plane sits there and hasn't started moving yet we only have two forces acting on the
plane gravity and normal force notice looking at this graphic here
the forces are equal forces are equal because the plane is not in motion it's not accelerating and when something
doesn't accelerate the forces are balanced or equal let's pay very careful attention to this graph
as we start the simulation so notice there's a vector attached to the plane pointing forward that's the
thrust force i'll show it to you again now focus on this graph one more time
as the plane speed increases the lift force increases eventually when the plane takes off
there is no more normal force so how can this graph be explained what's the connection between all three
of these forces so while a plane is taking off there are three forces
at work the normal force lift force and gravity while on the runway the vertical
acceleration is zero so while the plane is still in contact with the runway there is no acceleration
in the up down direction that means that all the forces acting upwards in this case normal and lift
have to be equal to all the forces pulling the object downwards in this case gravity because the forces
have to be balanced and so we have the equation that normal force plus the lift force
is equal to the gravity and with that in mind notice that these two columns will
always add up to that column normal and lift is equal to gravity normal force is zero when the plane is
no longer in contact with the ground hope you enjoyed today's video have a great day bye
The main vertical forces acting on an airplane during takeoff are gravity, normal force, and lift. Gravity pulls the airplane downwards, while the normal force acts perpendicular to the ground. As the airplane accelerates, lift begins to increase, allowing the plane to take off.
Thrust force is generated by the airplane's engines and is crucial for takeoff. It propels the airplane forward, increasing its speed, which in turn helps to generate lift as the wings move through the air.
Lift is the upward force that counteracts gravity. As the airplane's speed increases during takeoff, the lift force also increases. Once lift exceeds the weight of the airplane, it can take off.
During takeoff, the normal force is present while the airplane is on the runway. However, once the airplane becomes airborne, the normal force becomes zero because the airplane is no longer in contact with the ground.
While the airplane is on the runway, the vertical acceleration is zero, meaning the upward forces (normal force and lift) must equal the downward force (gravity). This balance is expressed by the equation: Normal Force + Lift Force = Gravity.
For a deeper understanding of lift and its role in flight mechanics, you can refer to the video titled 'Understanding Aircraft Performance: A Comprehensive Overview of Flight Mechanics'.
Understanding vertical forces is crucial for comprehending how airplanes achieve and maintain flight. It helps in grasping the principles of aerodynamics and the mechanics involved in takeoff and landing.
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