EVER WONDER?
How do planes fly? ✈️
A huge plane like a Boeing 747 can weigh more than 400,000 pounds. So how can something that heavy fly?
The four forces that make a plane fly 🚀
When a plane moves through the air, four forces are always working:
Thrust: the engines push the plane forward
Drag: air pushes back against the plane
Lift: the force that pushes the plane upward
Gravity (or Weight): the force that pulls the plane down
How wings create lift 🪽
The wings are curved on top and flat on the bottom. As the engines push the plane forward:
Air moves faster over the top of the wing
Air moves slower under the wing
This creates lower pressure on top and higher pressure underneath. That difference in pressure is called lift, and it pushes the plane upward!
Staying up or staying level 🛫
Pilots can adjust their speed and flaps on the wings to adjust the lift.
If lift is stronger than gravity, the plane rises
If lift and gravity are equal, the plane stays level in the sky
