08/03/2020
The Effects of Weight in Flight
Air is the invisible mixture of gases which surrounds us in our everyday lives. Air is a mixture of gases consisting of Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Carbon Dioxide and Water V***r. Like all matter, air has weight and takes up space. However, it can also be compressed, unlike solids and liquids.
This occurs due to inertia. The higher the mass and size of an object is, the larger the impact inertia will have on it. Similarly, during flight added weight causes higher landing speeds since the aircraft has become more massive and requires a greater air resistance to slow down.
Since Air is a mixture of gases, it adheres to the particle theory and expands when heated and condenses when cooled. Hot elements rise while cool elements move downwards. This is why when the burner in a hot air balloon is activated the balloon inflates and rises up in the air. As well, Air is subject to changes in pressure and density which can drastically influence its base properties.
Thrust is the force applied normal or perpendicular to a surface which causes the acceleration of said mass. The sum of the mass and experienced velocity of the object is called momentum.
Acceleration is a very different concept from velocity and speed. Acceleration is the increase of an object's speed per unit time. Where as speed is the rate at which an object is able to move. In turn, Momentum is the sum of the velocity and mass which an object is subject to.
The momentum which an aircraft develops is the sum of the forces which carry it through the air and allow it to propel itself forward.
