The Simple Science of Flight

Author: Hendrik Tennekes
Publisher: MIT Press (MA)
ISBN: 9780262700658
Category : Aerodynamics
Languages : en
Pages : 156

Book Description
From the smallest gnat to the largest aircraft, all things that fly obey the same aerodynamic principles. The Simple Science of Flight offers a leisurely introduction to the mechanics of flight and, beyond that, to the scientific attitude that finds wonder in simple calculations, forging connections between, say, the energy efficiency of a peanut butter sandwich that fuels your body and that of the kerosene that fuels a jumbo jet. It is the product of a lifetime of watching and investigating the way flight happens. He covers paper airplanes, kites, gliders, and human-powered flying machines as well as birds and insects, explaining difficult concepts like lift, drag, wing loading, and cruising speed through many fascinating comparisons, anecdotes, and examples. Equations, often the best shorthand to explain and connect phenomena, are integrated seamlessly into the flow of the text in such a way that even math-phobic readers should not be put off. Tennekes begins with a simple comparison of the relative fuel consumption of hummingbirds, cars, and airplanes, then turns to the relations between an airplane's weight, its wing area, and its cruising speed. After showing that it is possible to collect data on all flying creatures and flying machines in a single "Great Flight Diagram", he looks at energetics through the considerable efforts of a little 35-gram bird in a wind tunnel. There are stories on the effects of headwinds, tailwinds, and weather conditions on both birds and planes, on the elegance of the mechanics that makes flight possible, and on the aerodynamics of sophisticated flying toys.

Inflight Science

Author: Brian Clegg
Publisher: Icon Books Ltd
ISBN: 1848312806
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 216

Book Description
The perfect companion to any flight - a guide to the science on view from your window seat. There are few times when science is so immediate as when you're in a plane. Your life is in the hands of the scientists and engineers who enable tons of metal and plastic to hurtle through the sky at hundreds of miles an hour. Inflight Science shows how you stay alive up there - but that's only the beginning. Brian Clegg explains the ever changing view, whether it's crop circles or clouds, mountains or river deltas, and describes simple experiments to show how a wing provides lift, or what happens if you try to open a door in midair (don't!). On a plane you'll experience the impact of relativity, the power of natural radiation and the effect of altitude on the boiling point of tea. Among the many things you'll learn is why the sky is blue, the cause of thunderstorms and the impact of volcanic ash in an enjoyable tour of mid-air science. Every moment of your journey is an opportunity to experience science in action: Inflight Science will be your guide.

Nature's Flyers

Author: David E. Alexander
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 9780801880599
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 390

Book Description
'Nature's Flyers' is a detailed account of the current scientific understanding of the primary aspects of flight in nature. The author explains the physical basis of flight, drawing upon bats, birds, insects, pterosaurs and even winged seeds.

Air & Flight

Author: Jon Richards
Publisher: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc
ISBN: 9781404239074
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 40

Book Description
Uses hands-on experiments to teach students about atmosphere, using step-by-step instructions, thorough explanations, and colorful photos that help bring important scientific concepts to life.

Tabletop Scientist -- the Science of Air

Author: Steve Parker
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486492656
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 35

Book Description
Introduces simple scientific principles involving air, and provides step-by-step instructions for experiments demonstrating these principles.

Introduction to Aircraft Flight Mechanics

Author: Thomas R. Yechout
Publisher: AIAA
ISBN: 9781600860782
Category : Aerodynamics
Languages : en
Pages : 666

Book Description
Based on a 15-year successful approach to teaching aircraft flight mechanics at the US Air Force Academy, this text explains the concepts and derivations of equations for aircraft flight mechanics. It covers aircraft performance, static stability, aircraft dynamics stability and feedback control.

EXPLORE FLIGHT!

Author: Anita Yasuda
Publisher: Nomad Press
ISBN: 1619301784
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 179

Book Description
Who invented the airplane? When were airplanes invented? And why do planes have wings if the wings don’t flap? Kids can answer these questions and more by jumping into the cockpit and soaring into Explore Flight! With 25 Great Projects, where they’ll learn about the history of our human obsession to conquer the feat of flying. For kids ages 6-9, Explore Flight! With 25 Great Projects introduces them to the dreamers, inventors, aviation pioneers, and record breakers. They will read about the myths and legends of flying and about the wondrous flying machines of the past, present and future. They will learn that in the 15th century Leonardo da Vinci drew sketches of airplanes, helicopters and other flying machines, and that the first passengers in a hot air balloon were a sheep, a rooster, and a duck. Along the way, they will develop a better understanding of the rich history of aviation, investigate what causes flight, and learn about the science of aerodynamics. Projects and experiments range from making a paper airplane to building an airfoil. All the projects in this book are easy to follow, require little adult supervision, and use commonly found household products, many from the recycling.

Fantastic Flight

Author: John M. Collins
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781580085779
Category : Crafts & Hobbies
Languages : en
Pages : 163

Book Description
Provides instructions for creating twenty-five paper airplanes using single sheets of paper.

Kids' Paper Airplane Book

Author: Ken Blackburn
Publisher: Workman Publishing
ISBN: 9780761104780
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 150

Book Description
Provides information on the principles of aerodynamics, suggestions for designing airplanes, and instructions for folding paper planes and doing stunts and playing games with them.

The Simple Science of Flight, revised and expanded edition

Author: Henk Tennekes
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262513137
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 217

Book Description
An investigation into how machines and living creatures fly, and of the similarities between butterflies and Boeings, paper airplanes and plovers. From the smallest gnat to the largest aircraft, all things that fly obey the same aerodynamic principles. In The Simple Science of Flight, Henk Tennekes investigates just how machines and creatures fly: what size wings they need, how much energy is required for their journeys, how they cross deserts and oceans, how they take off, climb, and soar. Fascinated by the similarities between nature and technology, Tennekes offers an introduction to flight that teaches by association. Swans and Boeings differ in numerous ways, but they follow the same aerodynamic principles. Biological evolution and its technical counterpart exhibit exciting parallels. What makes some airplanes successful and others misfits? Why does the Boeing 747 endure but the Concorde now seem a fluke? Tennekes explains the science of flight through comparisons, examples, equations, and anecdotes. The new edition of this popular book has been thoroughly revised and much expanded. Highlights of the new material include a description of the incredible performance of bar-tailed godwits (7,000 miles nonstop from Alaska to New Zealand), an analysis of the convergence of modern jetliners (from both Boeing and Airbus), a discussion of the metabolization of energy featuring Lance Armstrong, a novel treatment of the aerodynamics of drag and trailing vortices, and an emphasis throughout on evolution, in nature and in engineering. Tennekes draws on new evidence on bird migration, new wind-tunnel studies, and data on new airliners. And his analysis of the relative efficiency of planes, trains, and automobiles is newly relevant. (On a cost-per-seat scale, a 747 is more efficient than a passenger car.)