four forces
What are the four forces of flight?
Lift, Weight (Gravity), Thrust, and Drag.
What is the main part of an airplane that creates lift?
The wings.
What force pushes an airplane forward?
Thrust.
When you throw a paper airplane, what force are you adding?
Thrust.
What are airplane pilots always fighting against while flying?
Gravity and drag.
Which force pushes the airplane upward?
Lift.
What is the name of a wing’s shape that helps it create lift?
An airfoil.
What force slows the airplane down as it moves through air?
Drag.
What force eventually pulls your paper airplane to the ground?
Weight (gravity).
True or False — Airplanes need air to fly.
True. (They rely on air pressure differences.)
Which force pulls the airplane downward?
Weight (or gravity).
Air moves faster over the top of a wing and slower under it. What does that cause?
Lower pressure on top and lift underneath.
What creates thrust in an airplane?
The engines or propellers.
Why might a paper airplane with wide wings glide longer?
It has more lift.
What part of the airplane gives it direction and stability?
The tail (rudder and elevator).
What happens when lift is greater than weight?
The airplane climbs or takes off.
Why are wings curved on top?
To make air move faster over the top, creating lift.
If a plane has strong engines but lots of drag, what happens?
It uses more power and fuel to keep flying forward.
Why does a pointed plane usually go faster but drop quicker?
It has less lift and more thrust.
What happens if lift equals weight and thrust equals drag?
The airplane flies straight and level.
What happens when drag is stronger than thrust?
The airplane slows down or stops moving forward.
Who first proved that wing shape could create lift through airflow?
Daniel Bernoulli (Bernoulli’s Principle).
What can pilots or designers do to reduce drag?
Make the airplane smoother and more aerodynamic.
If your paper airplane flips or dives too fast, what force might be too strong?
Weight or drag.
What’s the science of how air moves around objects called?
Aerodynamics.