Scn64
New Member
The Airplane on a Treadmill is a type of physics riddle that usually results in two groups of people taking different sides and calling each other idiots for hours at a time. None the less it’s a fun thought puzzle and worth taking a look at.
The Set Up:
Let’s say that we have a jet airplane (like a 747 for example) trying to take off on a giant runway sized treadmill. The treadmill, which turns in the opposite direction that the plane is facing, is capable of precisely matching the speed of the airplane. Here’s a visual to bring it all together (not drawn to scale obviously )
The Question: Can the airplane take off under these conditions?
The Set Up:
Let’s say that we have a jet airplane (like a 747 for example) trying to take off on a giant runway sized treadmill. The treadmill, which turns in the opposite direction that the plane is facing, is capable of precisely matching the speed of the airplane. Here’s a visual to bring it all together (not drawn to scale obviously )
The Question: Can the airplane take off under these conditions?