How Do Airplanes Fly?

[@ScienceAsylum]

I really appreciate the care you took in this video to discuss the molecules rather than just Bernoulli's principle. It always drives me crazy when teachers use that and dismiss the follow-up questions. Thank you :-)

[@Parapresdokian]

Ooooohhhh... You are here 🤓 By the way Imma fan of you both you guys

[@soisaus564]

@@Parapresdokian bro i dont know who this guy is..

[@flaviusmuntean6391]

@@soisaus564 He's one of the greatest physics channels on YT for amateurs (in my opinion).

[@MrDuckemy]

I thought the title was "Do Airplanes fly" and had myself braced to question everything I currently know

[@tggt00]

lol

[@dylrocks17]

tggt00 Your picture is actually an anti-cross (the opposite of christian cross) not just brimstone...

[@CreationCatalyst]

MrDuckemy this isn't Vsauce.

[@Gabriel-jx4or]

Airplanes don't fly. They stay still, wile they move the entire universe down.

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@surendrashenoy]

Bigger planes be like: "Hey little plane, do you even lift bro?"

[@batfink274]

Hahaha 😂

[@rynd_1533]

69 likes not ruining it

[@christiancampbell466]

@Isabella Holtorf Though I appreciate the thrust, that joke’s a real drag.

[@jgonz185]

It has something to do with wind.

[@jonassamuel4376]

jgonz185 those are kites ;)

[@FranCamping]

jonas samuel so cute haha

[@viljamtheninja]

jgonz185 You nailed it.

[@Arcanum__]

jgonz185 Friends reference maybe?

[@jgonz185]

herpington derpington Yes, finally. Lol.

[@davidhubbard9974]

Planes are an urban legend. They're really just giant metal birds that the government doesn't tell us about because it would cause mass hysteria

[@Ahnaf.Chowdhury]

Loomynati confermed

[@ATTO2020]

Adil Ahnaf Chowdhury it's illuminati

[@Gregory289pl]

ATTO2020 They want you to think that it's spelled illuminati, OPEN YOUR EYES

[@Ahnaf.Chowdhury]

Thou hath spoken

[@shmooveyea]

Illuminati confirmed

[@Kristronuovo]

Quick! Someone send this video to Arthur Weasely! ;)

[@fsgzoneonepiece]

Kristronuovo exactly what I thought!! :-D

[@katongougakyunojutsu]

so awesome finding you here :). Love your videos..

[@patu8010]

Maybe in the next video we learn what the function of a rubber duck is.

[@FlyntofRWBY]

Who's that?

[@unsensiblemischeif]

I am so happy that someone other than myself though of this

[@Harlequin314159]

But planes can fly upside-down! I was hoping you addressed this seemingly contradictory fact.

[@Theo0x89]

Harlequin314159 Just have the same angle of attack while being upside-down and use the same explanation.

[@nathanyt]

Harlequin314159 Momentum, perhaps.

[@DanielSultana]

had to thumb up your comment, couse you talk about something being upside down whilst your profile pic is.

[@blackout19]

Harlequin314159 This comes back to the angle of attack of the wing. For aircraft that are designed to spend time upside down they have a much thinner cross section, which is much more symmetrical top to bottom, and in some cases fully symmetrical even. This allows the wing to work both ways up, but reduces the efficiency of the wing at the same time.

[@samnuva]

Angle of Attack plays a role, however some planes can fly upside-down at zero alpha due to the Kutta-Joukowski theorem.

[@MeLoonn]

Bwaah ! Humbug ! Everyone knows airplanes don't fly, they move the universe around them !

[@flameblade57]

Plasma Phi But wait, if two planes move the universe in opposite directions then why doesn't the universe rip and get destroyed? 0.o

[@greymonkeygames4094]

That the planet express ship in futurama duh planes has people attached to the back of the plane that just ate beans and fart enough to have foward momentum

[@viljamtheninja]

flameblade57 Nah, the universe would just expand and be moved in both directions at once. Science, man.

[@pitsahat2]

Plasma Phi Futurama?

[@jumjum7392]

Edward Elric hows your brother?

[@drmaudio]

As a pilot by profession, none of this is new to me, but I can still appreciate the simplicity and entertainment in your explanation. Well done.

[@Marcara081]

Obviously it's pixie dust. You find it all over the counters in airplane bathrooms.

[@flameblade57]

Marcara081 Don't tell me you have been smelling that stuff, it'll do crazy things to your mind.

[@zeppie_]

flameblade57 smelling? i always sniff them

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@Marcara081]

@@amaridavis2317 Became really fit. Wrote two books. Had a chat with Jordan Peterson. Achieved 10% annual return on investment for the last 3 years. So good. Very good compared to where I was. Thanks for asking and reminding me.

[@amaridavis2317]

@@Marcara081 That seems really nice I didn't think you'd respond since the comment was 5 years ago but I'm proud of what you achieved. Thank you for responding!

[@verdiss7487]

Thank you for doing a video on this and enlightening thousands who got the "air goes faster over the top" explanation.

[@Trash_prince]

Don't forget that if you want the plane to stay up, the pilot must not be suicidal

[@BlueFox844]

Indeed.

[@Chiliarcher]

Too soon.

[@Trash_prince]

***** Fine, then make sure there aren't 2 buildings infront of you or the plane didn't come from any country in south east Asia

Hobo Fluffy, “or the plane didn't come from [...] south east Asia”

[@Trash_prince]

Arturo Torres Sánchez Facts speak for themselves

[@FogFe3]

Were the air particles simulated and drawn by hand? If so, that is very impressive.

[@nothingmancer1607]

Years of ignorance and it was fixed in less than 3 minutes, thank you

[@Stella_Rumma]

Now I want wings, maybe with some blue cheese.....

[@TheCuddleCactus]

I suggest Red Bull

[@Ayoutubeaccount3]

I suggest speed

[@Crohniponi]

Snort some coke

[@xF1GHT3R97]

*Waffles

[@brandanladikos6406]

Crohniponi +Sebastian Richards Those options are healthier then Red Bull

[@JanCRefsgaard]

This is how 'promotional videos' should be!, I learned a lot, and AIRBUS paid for it. Perfekt

[@vaisakhvm1726]

Thanks for explaining this concept in a very simple but interesting and understandable way. Appreciate your efforts :)❤

[@gasdive]

Wow. I was so prepared to comment that the "faster over the top, air is spaced out" was a myth brought about by people "simplifying" until it was actually wrong. No, this video is both simple and accurate. It can be done. Hat's off to you Sir. This is the first explanation of how a plane flies that I've ever seen that is easy to understand AND correct. Many thanks from a 30 year pilot and physics enthusiast who's been embroiled in countless fruitless discussions with people who think they know but who don't.

[@josh11735]

Great explanation! It's interesting to think of fans as just small rotating wings... :D

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@josh11735]

silunior I’ve been suddenly getting notifications for replies on old comments so you’re in luck :P Regarding your inquiry, do you mean how I am in general (like how life has been since then)?

[@amaridavis2317]

@@josh11735 Yes and I didn't think you'd respond since your comment was years ago but how was life back then for you compared to how it is right now?

[@sambeawesome]

This video is so much more helpful than what we were taught in my high school physics class. All that teacher did was toss us a formula and said that's how they fly. I hate that schools don't teach the underlying meanings of formulas and /why/ they work.

[@scottycatman]

Henry, please have a kid named Henry and have him have a kid named Henry... I'd love to see a third Reich.

[@InorganicVegan]

Aaaaaaaaaah!

[@LikelyToBeEatenByAGrue]

Five more and he'd be Henry the eighth.

[@nameguy101]

Reich is his last name. Why do his kids need the same first name?

[@Michaelonyoutub]

Nameguy Henry III (The Third) Reich

[@jeromeandras7695]

buuhhufhfjhhdjdbkshs4-&6/+%!%/%!:!@

[@rheikoyap261]

Thanks! @MinutePhysics Im Gonna use this video on my class presentation thanks alot :D

[@abdalleali5005]

I'm doing the same so I dont have to explain

[@electronicsNmore]

Well done as usual. :-)

[@VoltByte_m8]

Here is the explanation It’s both Bernoulli's principle or Newton's third law that make planes fly it’s not one or the other

[@ChrisS1mp]

Inception is placing a thought in someones head via a dream state, the correct term is recursion, or wingcursion

[@andgeo3374]

You forgot the exception that comes into place when someone uses a stupid internet meme. in other words, you must be fun at parties.

[@ChrisS1mp]

haha my bad, it's the sort of exception I wouldn't expect minute physics to follow

[@andgeo3374]

Chris Simpkins oh you know, internet marketing and stuff.

[@AJVersatility19]

Buzz Killington Jr here.

[@anoirtrabelsi8645]

Chris Simpkins Are we living in limbo ?

[@brlinf06398]

0:57 finally a explanation that is correct and doesn't miss anything

[@zuzanasemesova9049]

" That amazing moment when twelve tons of metal leaves the earth, and no one knows why." Cabin pressure anyone? :D

[@jacobthorn2800]

Coincidentally started my job working for Airbus yesterday. Great video Henry!

[@AlqGo]

What about planes that can fly upside down?

[@czechslovakian]

Alq Do It

[@AlejandroIrausquin]

+Alq There is a factor called 'Angle of attack'. If you have a positive angle of attack, and enough speed, there would be lift...

[@jeromeandras7695]

+Sean Martin hrhnrjtntnjntuthuhjt

[@ThyoCyanate]

+Alq That's a guy asking the right question here

[@AlqGo]

Stuart McLaren Is the area S in the formula the surface area of the underside of the wing?

[@rishavsharma6360]

Thank you for this. I’ve seen many videos on this topic but this one is the best.

[@Richie_Godsil]

Hurray for entertaining science!

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@Richie_Godsil]

@@amaridavis2317 Wow, that comment was from a while ago. Why do you ask?

[@amaridavis2317]

@@Richie_Godsil Oh I wasn't expecting you to respond since that comment was from so long ago but I just wanted to know how your life was back then compared to now like did anything get better did things happen I was just curious cause I've never seen a comment from that long ago.

[@Richie_Godsil]

@@amaridavis2317 Huh... what an interesting question... I guess I find myself in a different sort of equilibrium than I did when I was younger (for reference I'm almost 30 now). My current problems and anxieties are analogous to what they were when I was 25, but perspective and acceptance sometimes comes with age: time and distance seem to make all things quaint, after a fashion. So I don't know if my life has improved, per se, or if my expectations have shifted to where I can be generally more content. Does that answer your question?

[@alexstefanov137]

Great explanation, Henry! Bravo!

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@AamirF]

wingception!

[@arthurweasley1073]

Thank you

[@ShinyRayquazza]

This is a bit misleading. You're kinda over-emphasizing the importance of angle-of-attack; the curved surface of the wing is the main reason for the difference in pressure. And while you give a good intuition of exactly how that difference in pressure is created, if someone hasn't been exposed to the idea of air pressure before, it sounds too much like the wing is actually "blowing" downwards to generate lift. See 2:24 "...its big wings push air molecules down," and the associated diagram - this is only true at the particle scale and *very* inaccurate at the scale depicted here. Oh and well done with not mentioning Bernoulli anywhere in this video, but giving plenty of time to Airbus advertising...

[@ShinyRayquazza]

***** That's great that you got the right impression; I'm just saying I don't think everyone will. I also understand why he's sponsored and I don't have a problem with that. I do have a problem that he doesn't credit the guy who originally published these principles in the same video where he takes a significant amount of time talking about how great Airbus is. It makes it seem like the video is just done for the ad, rather than the ad being done for the video.

[@Polymoriphine]

Pilot here. I was a little surprised when he said nothing about Bernoulli's Principle...

[@UnlinealHand]

Joshua H I'm a pilot as well. Yeah a little disappointing there was next to nothing about Bernoulli. I mean, it sounded like a very dumbed down Newtonian take on Bernoulli's principle

[@danielearwicker]

Suppose I say "Everything is made of quarks and electrons." Would you say that was fine at the subatomic level but *totally inaccurate* at larger scales? Of course not. It's totally accurate, regardless of the scale of the thing we're discussing. And so it is with this video. Bernoulli is a shortcut for describing the aggregate behaviour of a fluid, but that fluid is made of molecules and an explanation in terms of molecules is therefore perfectly accurate.

[@UnlinealHand]

Steve Greenfield It's not wrong it's over-simplified haha. Henry could have at least mentioned Bernoulli's Principle being the aggregate of everything he talked about. But it is "Minute" physics. Time restraints are a bitch.

[@SirTranquilizator]

Gawd. It's the first easily understandable explanation EVER!! Will show it to my wife. thank you!

[@MaxBorges888]

It is wrong about how the plane gets lift. Search equation of Bernoulli. The fast the air the smaller the pressure and the air is faster on the top of the wing due to its curvature.

[@ModernGameArmy]

MaxBorges they did mention this, there are lots a thing that make a plane fly

[@hookiebookie1]

***** They can fly upside down under the same principle, but you're right it's not the only thing at work here. The camber of the aerofoil is really important too. If the aerofoil had a high camber, then the aircraft would have to hold a high AoA (angle of attack) to keep lifting, as long as it had enough thrust!

[@zack10291029]

+hookiebookie1 most acrobatic airplanes that are rated to legally fly upside down have 0 camber. They generate the lift from bernoulli's equation based solely on the angle of attack of the wing. So flying upside down the aircraft has a high angle of attack to force the air moving above the wing to speed up.

[@hookiebookie1]

Zack c Bernoulli's equation doesn't incorporate AoA, but yeah everything else you said is right. Wasn't debating it! Bernoulli's Eqn: P+0.5(Rho)(v^2)+(rho)(g)(h) = const. Bernoulli's equation doesn't really explain the lifting characteristics of an aerofoil, more the characteristics of the fluid around it - which I'll admit does explain the lift albeit indirectly. Have a look at strip theory, or the lifting line theory. These incorporate AoA really well and are great to help visualise things for a higher level calculation. Strip theory lift: 0.5(rho)(v^2)(A/m)(Cl*L+Cd*D) = Aero_Acceleration

[@zack10291029]

+hookiebookie1 bernoulli's equation directly correlates to AoA. With a higher aoa it moves the stagnation point down lower on the underside of the wing. This causes there to be more surface area on the upward side of the wing. Which then causes faster air movement and lower pressure.

[@ChibiSugar]

I actually kind of understood this! I'm so proud.

[@quandary23]

Someone show this to Arthur Weasley

[@arthurweasley1073]

Don't worry mate

[@ivyl5540]

hahaaha oml

[@sakethreddyvaka7905]

It is amazing how you explained the concept of lift, using the angle of attack and the pressure difference on the surface of the airfoil. The video was also very creative and easy to understand! However, you could have mentioned the misconceptions about lift too!

[@PaoloSilverInzaghi]

This guy summarized in 2:30 mins what I learned in 5 years of uni.

[@user-pf3qu5wd1m]

+PaoloSilverInzaghi Wow...

[@PaoloSilverInzaghi]

+Aric Roy (Taurus) They were fun, tho; don't get me wrong XD

[@user-pf3qu5wd1m]

PaoloSilverInzaghi The years you studied about planes flight

[@nemuihana]

FINALLY. Since school like 4 yrs ago I never really understood what lift was or where it came from etc. So this was great!! Thank you.

[@dareoism]

where the hell is MH370?

[@AnotherExperience37]

BrotherMouzone ded

[@monke3665]

BrotherMouzone ded

[@yousorooo]

In my bedroom

[@H12BXB]

It diededed

[@monke3665]

KZbin diedededed it

[@Tiisje]

Now this is what I subscribed for. Actual physics.

[@negativeseven]

threeminutephysics

[@davidsoane5015]

amirite

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@negativeseven]

@@amaridavis2317 5 years ago I was not doing great, probably also quite repressed by surroundings. Today I'm not in the best of spots but still probably better, at least I understand myself a lot more and know what kind of goals I have. I've also become more confident and assertive since back then, rather than just hiding in the shadows all the time and never sharing thoughts or emotions.

[@amaridavis2317]

@@negativeseven I didn't expect you to respond since your comment was 5 years ago but you did and it's nice hearing that you're doing better and know your goals and I'm proud that you've became more confident but just remember you're a great person and thank you for responding.

[@negativeseven]

@@amaridavis2317

[@thevigilant266]

Dude this was one of the best videos regarding this topic I have seen

[@mattm564]

This whole "More air molecules hit the bottom, and less molecules hit the top" is a really bad way of explaining how an airplane flies. One of the basic assumptions of aerodynamics is the "Continuum Assumption" which basically says that the a fluid (in this case, air) should be treated as a continuous substance, even through it is actually made up of really tiny molecules. Additionally, whatever momentum that is imparted to the aircraft from the incredibly tiny air molecules hitting the bottom of the surface, would be no where enough to keep the plane aloft. Lift is generated from pressure differences. Because the lower surface of the wing has a higher pressure than the top (because of accelerating flow) that acts over the area of the wing, a larger force is generated on the bottom of the wing than on the top, resulting in a net upward force. This net upward force is called "Lift". As one who studied aerospace engineering in college, I couldn't simply sit idly by after viewing this poor explanation of lift.

[@allangardiner7022]

Matt M I know a thing or two about aircraft and i know that the air moving over the top of the wing(s) moves slower than the bottom of the wing creating the pressure that you explain in your comment.

[@mattm564]

The flow over the upper surface of the airfoil is faster than over the bottom of the wing.. Can be proved using either Bernouli's equation or the energy equation...

[@allangardiner7022]

Matt M Thank you for Correcting me.

[@CtrlShiftGo]

I love that Airbus sponsored this, we need more companies to do things like that! Fantastic video as usual.

[@ivyl5540]

You probably won't see this because your comment was from 6 years ago, but How was life when you commented on this compared to now? Just in general, I have asked this to many people, and it's just for an experiment to compare answers and see how people view this year.

[@coldwind8327]

@@ivyl5540 hehe

How come there are planes that can fly upside down? Shouldn't it be impossible? The wings "lift" would then be on the same direction and sense as gravity.

[@printffff]

***** You mean jet fighters? They use delta wings which works differently than normal wings. Go google it.

[@InorganicVegan]

The wings can change angles...

Howie Au old acrobatic planes, for example.

[@OlejzMaku]

***** Airodynamic shape is more efficient the right side up but majority of the lift is dependent on the angle of attack which can be corrected for while flying upside down.

[@garyermann]

***** You're thinking of the whole bernoulli's explanation for how lift is generated because of the airfoil shape that causes lower pressure above the wing and sucks it up. If you rewatch the video, Henry mentions that effect, but in passing because it really isn't how planes get most of their lift. It has much more to do with the fact that the wing is tilted so that air strikes the downward facing side of the wing and pushes it up, just like if you were to stick your hand out of a moving car and point it upwards. With that in mind, it has less to do with the shape of the wing itself, and more to do with the tilt (or "angle of attack") of the wing and how the air is striking it.

[@1Wanoooo]

Woah Wingception , the ending is Awesome

[@silverblazemist]

OK, who's going to tell Arthur Weasley?

[@arthurweasley1073]

No need for that

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@ericthehighlander]

It's so clear and now I understand planes so much more. Thanks MinutePhysics.

[@AakashKalaria]

Upvote for A350!

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@AakashKalaria]

@@amaridavis2317 I wished you asked me last year, hahaha. Well, I am from India and just trying to be healthy. Double work and half salary, expensive lifestyle, difficult to get a new job. But I played Half Life Alyx and New Flight Simulator is just... Breath Taking.

[@PogieJoe]

It's simply astounding when one picks apart the science of flight!

[@vij19]

Why didnt you mention the Bernoulli Effect? -.- Thats pretty much the main thing going on.

[@pgtrots]

Its not. The way lift is produced as described in the video is the real and intuitive way and is correct. The people who spout 'lift is produced because the air flows faster over the top and so reduces pressure and generates lift' don't really understand what they're talking about.

[@98cricketer]

The Bernoulli principle is how planes fly, high wind speeds are associated with low pressure and low wind speeds are associated with high pressure. The pressure difference is what generates lift pushing the plane upwards.

[@GeraltBosMang]

vij19 Yes Jargon is the way to go.You are the best teacher ever. Explain how an airplane fly. (5points) Answer: Bernoulli Effect. If that gets me full mark from high school to my university exam, please clone yourself and be a professor in every school.

[@8749236]

Big word = less intuitive Just like someone told Stephen Hawking that "each equation I included in the book would halve the sales" Because... consider your audience! If you are expecting your audience to be a normal person who probably have no idea what quantum mechanics (or aerodynamics in this case) is. Don't use big words! Because they are NOT helpful other than scaring off readers

[@pgtrots]

Ashley Paddison Maybe, but it doesn't explain why it works. Stating something works because of the Bernoulli principle is not an explanation. The explanation in the video is correct, and is intuitive. Fundamentally, planes fly because they push the air downwards using their wings.

[@theomer1]

This was the best explanation of Bernoulli's principle that I have ever come across.

[@QWERTYOP80]

How do airplanes fly? Magic. Any other answer is fucking bullshit.

[@goblinRa2a]

Nah.. Magic was too OP and was banned. Planes are actually dragons in disguise. =P

[@TheCuddleCactus]

I thought they were just really, REALLY big kites :o

[@AnstonMusic]

goblinRa2a Heh, that's the Guild Wars lore in a nutshell! (Gods stored the magic away in Bloodstones.)

[@saquist]

Much better explanation than Veritasium.

[@Xelights]

So is this also how parachutes work?

[@sandwich2473]

Uuhhh... Parachutes work by having lots of resistance underneath them to mke people go slower. Not sure about those new ones however.

They have a factor in common, which is air resistance.

[@Fartman5166]

You saw that they were talking about drag, right? The force of drag, for aircraft, just holds the plane back and acts to decelerate it as it travels along. Same thing for a parachute, but since your main direction of motion in a parachute is down, the drag force is up. It's really just a drag machine!

[@master3243]

Arturo Torres Sánchez so what? that doesn't mean that parachutes and planes have anything in common. everything that moves through air has the same common factor.

[@pgtrots]

I understand how parachutes work! Old-school circular parachutes work by having a large surface area which produces drag as the object falls downward. Modern, square parachutes (like skydivers use) are really an inflatable wing. The fabric is shaped and joined together in such a way that when air is forced into the front of the parachute, it inflates into the shape of a wing - similar to how a bouncy castle works. This wing then produces lift in exactly the same way as described in the video - the forward speed is produced by angling the parachute downwards. This is also how paragliders work!

[@carmelpule1]

This is the physics of how planes fly. Assume a wing is flying through the air at a constant horizontal velocity in stationary air. The curves in the streamlines diagram around an airfoil indicate that there are four main acceleration zones. 1.There is a compression accelerating zone even ahead and on and above the upper front part of the leading edge. 2. There is a suction accelerating zone after location (1) existing along the upper surface to the trailing edge. 3. There is a suction accelerating zone just behind the lower part of the leading edge. 4. There is a compression accelerating zone existing from location (3) going all the way under the lower surface to the trailing edge. All these four zones are easier seen on a highly cambered airfoil section. The practical meaning of these pressure suction zones could be interpreted as follows. Let us use the diagram shown at 0:53. Assume the mass of a stationary air/ fluid particle consists of a fat man holding an opened umbrella to create a piston effect. One fat stationary man, with an opened umbrella, located above the mean horizontal line, is hit ( compressed) and pushed and vectored up and accelerated up through action ( 1) and the oncoming upper leading edge angle will vector and shoot the man up, but with him holding the open umbrella, a partial vacuum will be created behind the man, between the area of the umbrella and the surface of the wing, and so this partial vacuum will pull down the man and suck up the wing as it passes under the fat man to dump him later on over the trailing edge using Action (2) A second fat stationary man, with an opened umbrella, located below the mean horizontal line, is sucked up by action ( 3), and then the compression zone through action ( 4) will push the fat man down and the reaction would be a push up on the undersurface of the wing, to later dumping the second fat man behind the trailing edge to join the first fat man being dumped from the upper surface behind the trailing edge. Both fat men can be regarded as having flown up and down in a quasi vertical manner as the wing slid horizontally. Note that in real flying action, the two fat men with the umbrellas are operated upon by the actions indicated in zones 1. 2. 3. 4. and from the physical logic and time sequence of the actions/ reactions in these four zones, the upper-fat man will result in having a higher backward horizontal velocity than the lower fat man, due to the fact that one man was moving into an upper vectored suction zone and the other moving in an undersurface vectored compression zone, before both of them were dumped behind the trailing edge, not exactly vertically in actual wing behavior. It is the summations of these quasi vertical accelerations of lumps/masses of fluid be it air or water, that make an air wing and a water foil fly., where the vertical accelerations contribute to lift and the horizontal acceleration causes drag. These acceleration actions and dumpings are repeated on the massed fluid particles existing ahead of and distributed within a fairly large voluminous zone around the wing.

[@Slashtap]

They fly by sorcery. Don't give me this nonsense about inertia.

[@beinyourguard]

Now that's the old minutephysics I like to see.

[@undearwearman654]

Wow I thought God made them fly

[@Nina.dob12rev7y]

Joe Mama God made the brains who invented the airplane so it could fly

[@TheCatLoverLord]

nihal baya Wrong, our species evolved enough to be able to achive logical reasoning and discover mathematics, with which they use to invent airplanes

[@MrZwitterion]

+MinutePhysics I got one question ! How is it possible for a solo plane to fly upside down (some artistic stuff) if the wings are shaped it order to decrease the pressure on the top of them ? Because then the plane should fall, no? Thanks :)

[@olepatheonlyone]

Santa Claus is your parents.

[@covali69]

In my mind this is common-sense (yes I do realise at some point everyone has to learn it first), but I watched it because the MinutePhysics explanation is simply a pleasure to watch :)

[@padawanduck]

This video reminded me of Arthur Shappey "That amazing moment when twelve tons of metal leaves the earth, and no one knows why."

[@raykent3211]

Excellent entry-level video. Glad you haven't got the usual aerofoil-section/Bernouilli obsession. In case it helps others: take a large sheet of flat, rigid material out on a windy day. Tilt it. More air molecules smashing into one face than the other, as you said.

[@Mixa_Lv]

Making the molecules visible made this so much more clear.

[@Mo_Abbas]

Spoken like a true aerodynamicist. Hats off to how you explained the physics behind lift correctly in 2 minutes that even children can understand.

[@DineshKumarMandal]

Thanks a ton, the best ever explanatory video on how plane flies I have got through you. It's simple yet informative.

[@yamy6488]

This makes more sense than another video that was like 47 minutes but this is 3 minutes Thx for the vid!

[@gonzaa1101]

Henry, this one of the best videos you've made in a while! Great Job!

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@ieltsmentor2427]

​@@amaridavis2317it's been 3 years.How are you doing now as compared to 3 years ago?

[@KitsuNoir]

I've always hated how classrooms depicted this with "pressure and air currents", and I really think this video got it across better than any teacher has for me.

[@thejackuzi6454]

I finally FULLY understood a minute physics video!

[@orjunchakrabarty837]

Try Vsauce :)

[@elverman]

I've seen many and this is the best explanation ever. Thanks!

[@antitheist3206]

I always love your videos. Educating youtubers since whenever you decided to start this (i don't know and i haven't asked).

[@AdityaMehendale]

At 2:57, you say you "explain" why bigger fan-blades are efficient, but you merely mention it in this video. Agreed, it is a more complex topic, but I'd love to see a video explaining *why* they are more efficient that way. As usual, great job! :)

[@eternalsumit]

couldn't ask for more simpler explanation of aerodynamics in such small interval of time!!!....:)

[@HellsMascot]

Thank you thank you thank you for explaining this thoroughly and correctly, without jargon

[@SpaceBurgerLP]

I really like the new format using digital drawing instead of markers. looks pretty cool and probably allows for more free editing later. Just noticed it in this video but I went back and turns out it started with the "Computer Color is Broken" video

[@2dtoyadventures766]

All other channels besides Dr. Binocs, talk about physics Newton's 3rd law, and all that stuff. You got your point across quickly and simply. This is just what I am looking for. I dont have to mention hard stuff anymore. For some reason, this is way simpler then Dr. Binocs for me.

[@2dtoyadventures766]

I mean he does show Newton's law but he made it way simpler

[@fpvkernow2652]

Absolutely loved the video Henry! Just now need to explain how gliders fly for hours and hours (and even days) with no thrust from an engine.

[@zacharytaylor190]

I can gladly oblige! I am a Transport Canada Certified Glider Pilot, and there are a few ways that this could happen. Most commonly, on flat land you will find certain areas get hotter than others, usually because it is darker and absorbs more heat from the sun, such as a newly tilled field or empty parking lot. This causes the air around and above it to rise, bringing the glider with it. We call those "Thermals," and they can extend usually about 3000ft above the ground, or until a cumulus cloud at the top. Another way is on the upwind side of mountains, the wind will be pushed up the slope, bringing the glider with it. In meteorology, this is called "orographic lift," but we usually just call it mountain soaring. This can extend usually 2-3 times the height of the mountain before it fully dissipates, but by then it is very weak lift. The third and final practical way to gain altitude in a glider is through mountain waves. It's a bit more complicated than mountain slope soaring, but if you imagine, the air will want to come back down again after it reaches the top of the mountain. This will cause the air to rebound off the terrain and come up again, sometimes higher than when it started. You can ride this wave up to it's peak, This can get you the most altitude if you know how to do it right, easily getting you 8000ft above the ground. In mostly clear air, a strong wave is marked by what we call "Lenticular Clouds," a really beautiful cloud formation. In meteorology, there are other lifting agents, such as mechanical turbulence and frontal lift, but those are, respectively, too low to the ground and too turbulent to be useful. In summation, all altitude maintaining methods used by gliders ultimately boils down to finding a place where the air around you is rising faster than you are falling, and hitching a ride. If you want, I could also go into the what a glider gets in the air in the first place, but this reply is already getting pretty long-winded. Thank you for reading, and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask away!

[@TheErer1243]

Heh right at 2:03 when he is writing thrust, he accidentally writes lift first and then erases it. Neat touch imo, rather than annoying.

[@aeroscience9834]

You should do a video on the navier-stoke equations.

[@aeroscience9834]

You should do more videos on fluid dynamics

[@amaridavis2317]

Your message was from 5 years ago so you probably won't see this. But if you do could I ask how you were doing back then compared to how you're doing now. If you don't wanna answer it's ok I'm fine with that.

[@RandomStuff-lt7fq]

Thx so much minutephysics, u saved my life in my physics fair :D

[@Neha-vw7qd]

0:27 He said that all the forces have to be balanced, that is- the net force will be zero. But the thrust has to be more than the drag right? Otherwise how'll it be moving forward?

[@MW-Director_Fury]

Only when accelerating

[@harveyjohnny1967]

This is so good. I sort of understood all of this before watching but you explained it so well. Bravo.

[@dominiquemcclaney128]

Thanks for the upload. It was very interesting and informative. I didn't understand everything exactly lol. But it was still good to know. It was also nice to see the narrator of these videos.

[@Simontjhe]

That was great Henry! I was scared that you would start about that whole rendezvouz of air molecule nonsense, but this is way better explanation of something really complicated.

[@kyon5867]

Step #1. Hold your hand horizontally out of the window of a moving car, with your thumb facing towards the direction you're moving in. Step #2. Slightly twist your hand so your thumb side is pointing slightly upwards. Feel the way the air hits the palm of your hand, forcing it upwards? That's pretty much how aircraft wings work.

[@rick1863]

01:00 What you're suggesting is wrong. It's not smashing particles at the bottom more than on top of the wings. When air moves faster its pressure decreases and the wings make the air move faster on the top creating a pressure difference which lifts the plane. When you have a suction cup holding a weight it's not explained with less particles hitting from the inside of the cup rather it's explained with pressure differential.Google NASA's article titled: Dynamics of Flight

[@remisimard7760]

There's a slight mistake at 0:45. The horizontal stabilizer actually creates downward force for the majority of airplanes for stability reasons. It doesn't contribute to lift

[@palmoasis]

this an incredible simple explanation! great job

[@Kek5kopF]

that explanation is fantastic!

[@Mangalverma7268]

This person is a scientific legend

[@AndrewPa]

Good one. One of the best video explaining lift!

[@JesusCruz-my3ob]

Hundreds of wrong explanations on internet and this one is right. Thanks

[@matsv201]

This is really good. I was suprised that it actually was the accurate description of how a plane fly, and not the fault one.

[@SigmaFridge]

Hi

[@piyushmehra4563]

Explained well. It helped. Thanks.