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Anyway it was about EgyptAir Flight 990 and basically the co-piolt who was homicial and sucidial plunged everyone to their deaths (this reason remains controversial) while the captain was in the bathroom. But anyway as they were plunging they reached zero G and everything was floating, I wanted to know what would u feel??? Then they reached twice the force of gravity and everyone was screaming it looked like they were ready to have a heart attack, but wouldn't you die from going so fast or would u be doomed to feel everything until the plane crashed on the ground???

2007-07-09 13:42:03 · 3 answers · asked by fanofdegrassi 2 in Science & Mathematics Physics

3 answers

Speed does not kill, but a sudden change in speed does. This results from the fact that a sudden change in speed on a body, like the airplane, creates an enormous amount of force. In math talk, force = f = d(mv)/dt = m dv/dt = ma; where m is the mass of the body, dv/dt is the change in its velocity (dv) in a very short timeframe (dt), and a = dv/dt = acceleration.

So that sudden stop when the airplane crashes is acceleration...in this case, deceleration because the plane is stopping. Force is like a weight; in fact they have the same units, which are pounds in the English system of measure. So, for example, suppose that plane was going, say, 600 mph when it impacted the ground. That turns out to be 880 feet per sec. The crash to a stop would take a second or two perhaps. You weigh, say, 160 pounds, which is a mass of about 5 slugs. How much force do you absorb during that crash?

f = m dv/dt = 5 slugs (880 feet/sec)/1 sec = 4,400 pounds. I think you will agree, two tons of weight on your chest during impact would probably do some serious damage.

On the other hand, while your airplane is moving along at a constant velocity, we have f = m dv/dt = m (0); where dv/dt = 0 because the velocity is constant, there is no change over time. Thus, you might be flying steadily at v = 1 million mph and still have no force on you because the velocity is constant. You would be safe.

As to the zero G condition. This results because velocity is a matter of both magnitude (called speed) and direction. That airplane was changing altitude, it was plunging. That is a change in velocity because that is a change in direction (up and down direction). And, in the case of zero G, the airplane was flying a flight path that just exactly canceled the weight of its passengers due to gravity. The forces that can offset the weight of gravity like that are called centripetal or centrifugal forces.

2007-07-09 14:19:27 · answer #1 · answered by oldprof 7 · 0 0

Well, you would be doomed to feel everything until the plane crashed I don't see why someone could die if a plane was going so fast.

2007-07-09 20:49:56 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Going fast doesn't make you die. Stopping fast does. Zero G doesn't have any direct fatal effects and neither does 2G. Most amusement rides subject you to these types of forces.

2007-07-09 20:47:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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