Final answer to the airplane on a long treadmill problem ...

[fight club]

correct but the engines only propelle the jet forward creating an upforce on the wings wich are what lifts the jet. just like when u drive in the car and hold ur hand out of the window the higher the speed the harder it is to lower ur hand becasue the forward thrust is what is causing ur hand to lift same thing with a jet the engines push forwrd and the wings lift.

heres you a good visual. the automatic walkways at the airport. we stand next to each other and one is lined to run on the sidewalk and im running next to it. the speed you are moving is the speed of the sidewalk, but you're running in the wrong direction. you are saying that while i would reach the end, you would not move.

[Hektik]

heres you a good visual. the automatic walkways at the airport. we stand next to each other and one is lined to run on the sidewalk and im running next to it. the speed you are moving is the speed of the sidewalk, but you're running in the wrong direction. you are saying that while i would reach the end, you would not move.

Ok so what were saying is that the treadmill is going FORWARD and Im going FORWARD both of us at the same speed yes this will double my speed. but if im going------> that way and the treadmill is going <------ that way the 2 speeds will cancel each other out . now if what ruiner is talking about the treadmill and the plane both going the same way then yes I can understand the plane taking of but if they are going in different directions the no the plane will not fly.

[Ruiner]

Ok so what were saying is that the treadmill is going FORWARD and Im going FORWARD both of us at the same speed yes this will double my speed. but if im going------> that way and the treadmill is going <------ that way the 2 speeds will cancel each other out . now if what ruiner is talking about the treadmill and the plane both going the same way then yes I can understand the plane taking of but if they are going in different directions the no the plane will not fly.

Care to make a wager on this? I am confident in my stance. How confident are you in yours? Put your money where your mouth is.

I'll let you read it one more time:

Original problem:
There is treadmill and it is as long as a runway. The plane is sitting on the treadmill. The wheels on the plane are free-rolling. The treadmill will roll, in reverse, to match the exact speed of the plane. For example, if the plane is doing 100knots, then the treadmill will spin at 100knots in reverse. As the plane increases speed, so will the treadmill. Will the plane take off