·Why do boomerangs return when you throw them?

Answer 1

A returning boomerang is an airfoil. Though it is not a requirement that the boomerang be in its traditional shape, it is usually flat. A falling boomerang starts spinning and most then fall in a spiral. When the boomerang is thrown with high spin, the wings produce lift. Larger boomerangs are used in hunting, thus they drop on the ground after striking the target. Smaller ones are used in sport, and are the only boomerangs that return to the thrower. Because of its rapid spinning, a boomerang flies in a curve rather than a straight line. When thrown correctly, a boomerang returns to its starting point.

Now in more detail:

Returning boomerangs consist of two or more arms or wings, connected at an angle. Each wing is shaped as an airfoil, air travels faster over one surface of an airfoil than the other, as the air is accelerated due to the curvature, thus creating lift, along what is roughly a plane which intersects the airfoil at a near right angle along the long axis of the wing.

These wings are set so that the lift created by each wing opposes the lift of the other, but at an angle such that the flight pattern is constantly shifted as the forces of lift, drag, speed, rotational inertia etc. 'attempt' to reach equilibrium, see Boomerang engineer.

This is what makes the boomerang 'return gracefully to the thrower, fluttering to a stop in his hand'... when thrown correctly. This is also what makes the boomerang 'rocket straight up into the air before plunging to its shattered doom'... when thrown incorrectly. With the exception of long-distance boomerangs, they should not be thrown sidearm or like a frisbee, but rather throw with the long axis of the wings rotating in an almost-vertical plane.

Fast Catch boomerangs usually have three symmetrical wings (in the planform view), whereas a Long Distance boomerang is most often shaped very similar to a question mark. Maximum Time Aloft boomerangs have one wing considerably longer than the other. This feature, along with carefully executed bends and twists in the wings, help to set up an 'auto-rotation' effect to maximize the boomerang's hover-time in descending from its highest point in the flight.

Prominent boomerang designer/builders include Bob Burwell and Tony Butz from Australia, Rusty Harding from the USA, Jerri Leu from Brazil and others.

Answer 2

The first thing that makes a boomerang different from a regular piece of wood is that it has at least two component parts, whereas a straight piece of wood is only one unit. This makes the boomerang spin about a central point, stabilizing its motion as it travels through the air. Non-returning boomerangs are better throwing weapons than straight sticks because of this stabilizing effect: They travel farther and you can aim them with much greater accuracy.

The returning boomerang has specialized components that make it behave a little differently than an ordinary bent stick. A classic banana-shaped boomerang is simply two wings joined together in a single unit. This is the key to its odd flight path.

The wings are set at a slight tilt and they have an airfoil design -- they are rounded on one side and flat on the other, just like an airplane wing. If you've read How Airplanes Work, then you know that this design gives a wing lift. The air particles move more quickly over the top of the wing than they do along the bottom of the wing, which creates a difference in air pressure. The wing has lift when it moves because there is greater pressure below it than above it. The wing is at a slight tilt, so that as the wing moves, it pushes air down. Because of the basic laws of physics, this downward force produces an equal upward force, called lift. The wing shape provides extra lift because it creates a difference in pressure on the two sides of the wing. The curved shape on the topside guides the air over the wing with minimal resistance. The flat underside of the wing does not guide the air around it as efficiently, and so the air moves around it more slowly.

Answer 3

Boomerangs do return...

The returning type have equal length legs.

There is a theorm for describing their flight, they fly in a figure 8. They follow a 8:1 pattern. The first circuit will be 8 times the second circle, the next loop will be a eighth of the previous until the boomerang runs out of energy. There is a flat side and an aerofoil side. The flat side stays to the outside of the loop the aerofoil pulls the boomerang in (lift).

Boomerangs were thrown to flush out prey.

Sticks thrown to kill are nullas.

Answer 4

I have never thrown a boomerang, but I saw the movie "Boomerang" in 1992 and wished I were at least 25 years younger, and that I could bang Halle Berry, Robin Givens, Grace Jones and Eartha Kitt.

Answer 5

From the amount of people who have lost a boomerang I'd say NO. I think its in the knack of throwing it xxxxxxx

Answer 6

its all got to do with aerodynamics... a boomerang has always got one wing shorter than the other this creates a negative vibe then the boomerang will fly in a circle.

Answer 7

It's just a Frisbee for lonely people!!

Answer 8

the shape and curve of the blade are the main reason.

Answer 9

They get homesick

Answer 10

Because if they didn't, they would just be a stick.