Why is it scientifically impossible for a bee to stay flying and how does it stay up because scientists say the body is too big for it's wings. Can someone explain it to me?
2007-02-05 07:21:56 · 7 answers · asked by Josie B 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
it was proved once by mathematics that the wing span of a bumble bee is too short and the down draft of the wings in ratio to it's mass. would make it impossible for the bumble bee to fly.however the bumble bee not knowing this continues to fly oblivious to this fact..
2007-02-05 07:34:21 · answer #1 · answered by silver44fox 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I've heard this many times, and it amazes me that it keeps getting asked. It is NOT scientifically impossible for a bee to stay flying. They do it all the time, so it can't be scientifically impossible. People always like to say the physics for this particular problem doesn't work out, but I haven't found a physicist yet who will tell me this.
This idea is the equivalent of an urban legend, just like people saying water flushes clockwise in a toilet located in the Southern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. It flushes differently based on the toilet, not the location relative to the equator.
2007-02-05 15:39:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
according to science the bees wings are not large enough to provide the lift required to support his body's size and weight, the concept should be fairly obvious but if not just picture a 747 with the wings off of a little Cessna do you think it would fly ? However fortunately for the Bee's sake he does'nt know this so he just flies anyway !
2007-02-05 15:38:49 · answer #3 · answered by wyzrdofahs 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I remember rightly, it comes from an equation in engineering used for aeroplane design. If the you put the measurement of a bees wings and weight of his body into this equation ithe equation says that the bee will fall.
However, one of the assumptions made when using this formula is that the wings are stationary and therefore using it to prove that bees can't fly is quite stupid.
2007-02-07 11:01:30 · answer #4 · answered by andy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It obviously isnt impossible.. Science was just applying the wrong premise when that myth was invented (aerodynamics) .. they now know its compleatly scientifically possible using something more related to fluid dynamics.. in other words the bee more swims through the air as if it were a fluid rather than a gas to make it overly simplistic... The numbers work with that. And hence the bee can once again fly with out having to worry about it...
2007-02-05 15:37:09 · answer #5 · answered by darchangel_3 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Because the wings are too small to carry it
2007-02-05 15:35:55 · answer #6 · answered by amina s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I expect its little wings get too tired.
2007-02-05 15:26:10 · answer #7 · answered by girlygirlygirlygirlygirly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋