How Airplanes Stay in the Air

Have you ever wondered how airplanes, which are so heavy, can fly high in the sky? The answer lies in the science of aerodynamics. When a plane moves forward, air flows over and under its wings. The shape of the wings is specially designed to create lift, which is the force that pushes the airplane upwards.

The wings are curved on the top side and flat underneath.. This shape causes the air on top to move faster than the air below. According to a principle called Bernoulli’s law, faster-moving air has lower pressure. So, the higher pressure under the wings pushes the plane up, keeping it in the air.

Another important force is thrust, which comes from the plane’s engines. Thrust moves the plane forward, helping it to keep enough speed to stay in the air. At the same time, the pilot uses the plane’s control surfaces (parts of the wings and tail) to steer the airplane, making it turn or climb higher.

In simple terms, airplanes fly because of a balance between lift, thrust, and the airplane’s weight. It’s all about the clever design of the wings and engines!

Palavras difíceis: aerodynamics (ciência que estuda o movimento do ar e suas interações com objetos), lift (força que empurra o avião para cima), Bernoulli’s law (princípio que explica a relação entre velocidade do ar e pressão), thrust (força que move o avião para frente).