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Title: Brainteaser: There's an airplane on the runway..
Source: Elsewhere
URL Source: http://www.someplaceelse.com
Published: Dec 1, 2005
Author: I have no idea
Post Date: 2005-12-01 01:10:02 by Jhoffa_
Keywords: Brainteaser:, airplane, runway..
Views: 2557
Comments: 202

Imagine a plane is sat on the beginning of a massive conveyor belt/travelator type arrangement, as wide and as long as a runway, and intends to take off. The conveyer belt is designed to exactly match the speed of the wheels at any given time, moving in the opposite direction of rotation. There is no wind.

Can the plane take off?

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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 118.

#61. To: Jhoffa_ (#0)

In my opinion, the plane will move forward and can take off. If I'm wrong I'm going to have to think twice about the worth of a physics degree, lol. Here's my reasoning.

There is a force applied by the thrust of the engines to propel the plane forward. Where is the opposite force to counter it and hold the plane motionless? There is only one possible source in this brainteaser: the wheels, or more specifically the axles the wheels are mounted on. How are the "as frictionless as we can engineer them" axles going to stop the plane from moving forward if they are allowed to freely spin? Yes, there is friction between the wheels and the ground, but where's the friction in the axles? Without that it does not matter what the wheels are doing. Without friction in the axles none of the "conveyer counter force" can be transferred to the plane.

One more attempt to explain the importance of the axle. When you apply brakes in your car, in an attempt to stop, you are forcing the axle to stop spinning. Unfortunately, your wheels also get a vote. On ice, they often choose to disagree. However, if you don't apply the brakes, at least as far as going forwards is concerned, your car is on a near frictionless surface no matter what surface you are on: pavement, ice, or conveyer belts. If the axle is allowed to freely spin you can pretty much rule out the wheels.

And lastly, why the conveyer belt? Just find a plane that can take off with the brakes fully applied (leaving long black skid marks until it gets airborne). Put a coyote in the cockpit, put a roadrunner at the end of the runway, and make sure the manufacturer of the engine is Acme! Beep! Beep! Hehehe :)

markm0722  posted on  2005-12-01   21:24:23 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

Just find a plane that can take off with the brakes fully applied

Well if there are such planes then of course it would fly, but since there aren't, it's a mute point.

RickyJ  posted on  2005-12-01   22:37:59 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

Well if there are such planes then of course it would fly, but since there aren't, it's a mute point.

Don't be so sure about those planes not existing. All you would need is an propulsion system that produces enough thrust to overcome the friction of non-moving landing gear. Think ski-plane. Think sea-plane.

Mr Nuke Buzzcut  posted on  2005-12-02   14:01:08 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

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