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Q:
I wanted more information of an activity my kids did in the museum. They had to put a clip on a paper plane and, depending on where they place it, the plane went through the hoop or not. Why is this?
A:
This is an example of aircraft stability. Changing the paper clip's location will shift the center of gravity of the paper plane. When you place the center of gravity under the center of lift, the forces are balanced, and the plane will be stable.
Aircraft stability is incredibly important for the safety of the plane's passengers. We don't have to worry about wind or turbulence at high altitudes because our commercial jets are all built to be stable.
Posted on March 6, 2014 at 10:29 am
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