How does an aeroplane fly? Explained for kids by Atishay,12, Noida

How does a plane fly? Explained for kids 

If you have ever sat in a plane, you would have wondered how a plane flies. Surely, a tiny bird is cute to watch as it flies. But, watching a Boeing 747-8 with a payload of 154 tons is just impressive. This is possible because of physics.

One principle used to make things fly or float is the Archimedes’ principle that if your density is lower than the medium you are in, you will experience an upward force. So, like a hot air balloon, hot air is lighter than cold air and so it rises. Helium balloons are lighter than the air around them and so they can fly if you let go of them. But planes are neither filled with warm air nor helium. So, what makes them fly?

First, on the runway, the planes use their turbines to move forward as their wheels are not powered. The turbines push out air with high velocity. According to Newton’s laws, a backward force leads to a forward thrust of the plane. The wings of the plane are asymmetric as this shape leads to a downward deflection of air and upward force. So, the turbines and the wings’ asymmetric shape leads to an upward force and forward thrust.

While the wing shape already leads to an upward force, you can increase it by tilting the wing with a certain ‘angle of attack’. Using this, you can also fly upside down! But, don’t overuse it or you’ll crash.

So this is how a Boeing 747-8 lifts off with a payload of 154 tons. Maybe tomorrow you’ll design a plane with a payload of 300 tons. Who knows what the future may bring?