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Buoyancy
WHAT MAKES A HOT-AIR BALLOON OR A BLIMP FLOAT? Hot-air balloons and blimps can float in the air thanks to…
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Air is Stuff
Air is not just empty space—it has substance, or mass. Air has molecules that are constantly moving. Because air has…
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Gravity Keeps Us Down to Earth
WHAT IS GRAVITY? Gravity holds us to the surface of the Earth and keeps our atmosphere wrapped around our planet.…
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Gravity & Air
Understanding the basics—gravity and air—is key. To rise above it all, you have to face some facts: You must grapple…
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We Aren’t Built to Fly
WE JUST AREN’T BUILT TO FLY Birds inspired our first attempts to fly, but our progress was limited until we…
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The Four Forces
FOUR FORCES AFFECT THINGS THAT FLY: 1. Weight is the force of gravity. It acts in a downward direction—toward the center of…
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Forces of Flight
Understanding how things fly begins by learning about the Four Forces of Flight. When an airplane flies, the wing is…
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Shaped for Space
HOW DOES SPACE AFFECT STRUCTURE? If a spacecraft flies only in space and not through an atmosphere, it does not…
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Hypersonic Vehicles
WHAT HAPPENS TO VEHICLES AT HYPERSONIC SPEEDS? A vehicle designed to fly at hypersonic speed (more than five times the…
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Materials
WHAT KINDS OF MATERIALS ARE USED TO MAKE AIRCRAFT? Several materials can be used for major structures—wings, fuselage, or landing…
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Weight and Strength
HOW DOES AN AIRCRAFT BALANCE WEIGHT AND STRENGTH? Finding a safe compromise between low weight and high strength is critical…