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How are airplanes and gliders different?
The difference between a plane and a glider is that planes are powered and gliders are not. The definition of a plane is a flying aircraft that has fixed wings and an engine.
To overcome their lack of power, gliders have some source of outside power to get them going, such as a tow plane or their own altitude, like jumping off a cliff with a hang-glider. Once they start flying, however, they rely on their own momentum. Planes have four forces acting on them - lift, weight, drag, and thrust. Gliders only have three - lift, weight, and drag. The Wright brothers tested some of their concepts on gliders, mainly control mechanisms. The space shuttle returned to Earth as a glider too, relying on its rockets only during liftoff and during orbital movements. The Lilienthal glider helped inspire the Wright brothers. If you want to make your own glider, try our Create Your Own Paper Airplane activity.
