How Do Planes Fly?

Planes are able to rise to a certain altitude andvariation in pressure between the top and bottom of
maintain it by utilizing a combination of the Bernoullithe wing results in a net upward force, or lift. The air
effect and the simple momentum transfer in theover the wing is forced to expand to a greater volume
airflow to generate airlift. When the internal pressurethan the volume of air flowing under it.
reduces with respect to the increased stream velocityDynamic momentum transfer from the airstream can
in a fluid, the phenomenon is known as the Bernoullialso generate lift for planes. In the dynamic momentum
Effect. In most cases, the pressure in a fluid decreasestransfer, the tilt or angle of attack, of the wing in
as the fluid moves faster. This effect explains in partrelation to the overall direction of motion causes the
how wings help to lift an airplane. The cross-section offlow of air striking underneath the wing to be turned, or
the wing is designed in a particular way so that thedeflected, downward. The deflection induced by the
distance from the leading edge and the trailing edge iswing imparts a downward momentum.
greater along a path that runs over the wing thanSince the first flight of the Wright brothers, airplanes
under it. This is how the Bernoulli effect generates lift.have come a long way in their development. They
As the aircraft is propelled ahead, air flows both overhave become bigger in size and more technologically
and under the wing. As the air travels a greateradvanced. They enable people to commute faster as
distance over the wings, the air pressure above thecompared to any other mode of transportation, which
wing is less than the air pressure beneath it. Thehelps to save a great deal of time.