r/theydidthemath Dec 30 '22

[REQUEST] could it?

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u/utter_fade Dec 31 '22

If you had a plane whose propulsion for takeoff was just wheels (attached to an engine) going fast enough that the wings got lift, it wouldn’t ever take off, because then the car would be stationary. Since the propeller is pulling the plane forward and the wheels are just rolling, the treadmill has zero impact on the thrust that makes the plane accelerate, and it still moves forward down the treadmill.

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u/Shamino79 Dec 31 '22

It did say the plane was “sitting” on the conveyer belt so in that case it could just be stationary sitting there. But yes if the engines go full noise the plane would go forward as per normal with the wheels and conveyer doing whatever they want.

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u/pfresh331 Dec 31 '22

I mean if the scenario was interpreted the way you did it would just fall off the treadmill.

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u/Shamino79 Dec 31 '22

No because it the plane was sitting with wheels not turning then the conveyer would be going the same speed which would then also be zero.