A plane is standing on a movable runway(something like a conveyor) As the plane moves, the conveyor moves but in the opposite direction. The conveyor has a system that tracks the speed of the plane and matches it exactly in the opposite direction. The question is, will the plane take off or not and why, or why not? I don't think this has been posted yet......... Mythbusters will run an episode on this in December.
Some asshats on my most frequented msg board won't understand this. We got 25 pages of scientific explanations trying to explain why it will take off.
You're wrong. Do you know how jet engines work? The plane will be moving. Yes, the conveyor is moving backwards, but the air is still moving over the wings as the plan moves forward. Wheels and engines are independent. The plane will take off. Book it
No, because the question states that the conveyor belt will be moving at the exact speed in the opposite direction of the plane, so in essense the plane would not move at all because the speed it is exerting on the tyres matches the speed exerted on the conveyor belt. It is sort of like a person running on a treadmill: the person runs as fast as the belt is moving, but he isn't actually moving.
No it won't take off, end of sentence, period. Air isn't moving over the wings. It's on a treadmill that matches it speed.
I wouldn't think it will. The lift is created by moving the plane against the air, and since in this case the plane is not really moving, there is no lift being created. I'm looking froward to see the myth buster taking on this on.
Unless your conveyor belt is magical and can somehow keep the speed of the plane relative to air at zero, then it won't lift off. But like you said, it only matches the speed, not the force. The plane will in fact take off.
I think it depends on what is making the plane move. If the jet engine or prop is making the plane move then I would guess that yes, it would take off because it is moving the air. On the other hand if the wheels are making it move, like a car, then no, I don't feel it will take off.
Wheels have nothing to do with the airplane. They're just there so there's less friction and for comfort. Imagine a plane in the snow where the wheels are completely frozen. It's not going to stop it from moving forward. Like the OP said, the conveyor matches the speed. That's fine with me because the only thing the wheels will do now is move twice as fast. There's no friction holding the plane back. Enough lift will still be generated through the propellers for an easy take off. I'm telling you this as an aviation enthusiast. I've never taken a physics class in my life. THE PLANE WILL TAKE OFF
I understand that the wheels don't make it move. I'm saying that "IF" what was making the plane move were the wheels, then no, it isn't taking off.
