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11/5/2013 6:38:15 PM
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The Airplane-Treadmill problem.

[quote][i]"Imagine an indestructible 747 is sitting on an indestructible conveyor belt, as wide and long as a runway. The conveyor belt is designed to exactly match the speed of the wheels, moving in the opposite direction. Can the plane take off?"[/i] [/quote] I still can't decide what the correct answer is to this (if there even is a correct answer). On one hand the engines will push back the air and thus the plane will move forward and take off. But on the other hand the conveyor belt will spin at the same speed as the wheels so that the plane can't move forward. What do you guys think? Will the plane take off or not?

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  • Edited by Catman6: 11/5/2013 7:00:30 PM
    It will take off. The wheels will just spin faster. Since the wheels are essentially 0 friction points, the jets pull in air, moving the plane forwards. Where the OP's question is skewed is the addition of [quote]But on the other hand the conveyor belt will spin at the same speed as the wheels so that the plane can't move forward.[/quote]Sure the conveyor belt will spin to try to keep the plane there, but it will still move. The movement of the plane is independent of the wheels EDIT: I re-read the way the OP was worded. It's not an answerable question because the two speeds don't depend on each other. It will take off, but the wheels and treadmill will end up moving at infinite speed.

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