Actually, now that I think about it, both the car AND the runner will take off also.

If the car is moving 25 mph forward (absolute car speed, NOT just wheel/speedo speed), then the treadmill would be moving 25 mph backwards. At this point, the wheels would be turning at 50 mph (25 + 25). So basically if the car needed to go 100 mph to take off on flat ground, as long as it was powerful enough to hit 200 mph then it could take off on the treadmill. Better bring a Veyron!

This would only work if the treadmill's reaction time to change in car speed was greater than zero. If the reaction was theorerically instant, then the car wouldn't go anywhere, at least not mathematically.

Now, if the treadmill measures car speed by hooking up to the speedo intead of using a radar gun, then that's a different story. The car would then stay on the same spot and not take off regardless of reaction time.

OK now I'm looking waaaaay too much into this

EDIT: So what do you know? The plane CAN take off too even using its WHEELS to propel itself! It didn't matter if the plane was using its wheels or jet engines to begin with, it would still take off! Those of us who argued that it would take off because of the thrust (including myself) were right but for the wrong reasons! HA! It was a double-trick question.

 

So basically as long as the plane has enough thrust to act as a rocket (more thrust than weight) it can lift off . . . . BUT it needs the lift from the wings to maintain more than a Wright Brothers type of hop.

It will only get lift from the wings from airflow over the wings which will only come from forward motion in relationship to the air and that only comes from some god awful gusts or forward motion in relationship to the ground NOT THE TREADMILL.

As I understand it the purpose of the treadmill is to keep the plane stationary in relationship to the ground. Gonna be a hell of a crash once that initial hop is over.

 

lol, a while ago. I went to clubrsx to read asinine comments and ridiculous claims but now, there's no need with some of you guys.

 

No, the purpose of the tradmill is to make you THINK that it can keep the plane stationary. It can't. It's a trick question.

 

I don't remember seeing anywhere in the original post regarding whether or not the treadmill can keep the plane stationary or not.

The question was simply, "Can a plane take off on a treadmill?" I took it to mean as in a thought experiment, where you can have a treadmill that can match the speed of the plane.

 

That would be one long tread mill if it doesn't keep it stationary!!!!!!!!!

 

The speed of the treadmill is irrelevant. It can be turning 10 times the speed of the plane. Because the wheels of the plane are free wheeling the plane will always take off.

David

 

i'd love to see the look on your face when you actually realize what everyone in this thead is saying about the treadmill and its speed is irrelevant to the plane taking off...priceless.

 

This is at least the third time this thread has come to life on these boards.

The Mythbusters episode on this topic will air this Thursday Jan 30th at 9:00 pm.

 

WEDNESDAY Jan 30th.

I cant fawking wait!! I cant wait!

I will be pounding on my keyboard with joy/rage when you all get it and realize how wrong you are.

Like others have said, I cant believe some of you are able to earn enough money to afford an S2k when you are so oblivious to this POS riddle...

Some of the responses in this thread make me want to throw my comp across the room and /self...