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Neat. But a question from a hydraulic ninny: Is the left vertical tube in the Bernoulli illustration pulling water up? If so, what is that space between 'r' and 't'? Indicating negative pressure? Suckage? If not, what is it doing, and why? Fun article, thanks. rb

As long as we're talking about crazy freefalls, I should mention that one Michael Fournier is attempting a world-freefall height record within the next day or so. It was supposed to happen today (the 25th), but didn't for some as yet unmentioned reason. The official website for the jump is here.

Whoops, lost the html. Try:

http://www.legrandsaut.org/index.php?Message=main&lang=eng

That must be a masterful poem because I didn't understand it.

"And an airplane can fly because it's wings are designed to create an area of fast-moving (low pressure) air above the surface of the wing, buoyed by the higher pressure air underneath the wing, producing "lift"."

This is false and is known as The Equal Transit Time fallacy. I'm sure the Blue Angels would love to hear that they cannot fly inverted...

I feel better now!

ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_with_the_equal_transit-time_fallacy

How can you mention free-falls and parachute jumps without mentioning Joe Kittinger? :-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Kittinger
http://www.balloonlife.com/publications/balloon_life/9510/balloonm.htm

Also, Yves Rossy may not be the first jet powered human. A few years ago, there was a Norwegian who used ankle mounted jet engines with a soft wing.

Dave

A more complete explanation of how airplanes fly can be found at http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/AERO/airflylvl3.htm

The Bernoulli effect is vastly overrated.

Others have already commented on this, but I'd just like to point folks to my own blog entry on this commonly held myth about why airplanes fly: http://sciencegeekgirl.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/myth-5-how-do-airplanes-fly/

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    Physics Cocktails

    • Heavy G
      The perfect pick-me-up when gravity gets you down.
      2 oz Tequila
      2 oz Triple sec
      2 oz Rose's sweetened lime juice
      7-Up or Sprite
      Mix tequila, triple sec and lime juice in a shaker and pour into a margarita glass. (Salted rim and ice are optional.) Top off with 7-Up/Sprite and let the weight of the world lift off your shoulders.
    • Listening to the Drums of Feynman
      The perfect nightcap after a long day struggling with QED equations.
      1 oz dark rum
      1/2 oz light rum
      1 oz Tia Maria
      2 oz light cream
      Crushed ice
      1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
      In a shaker half-filled with ice, combine the dark and light rum, Tia Maria, and cream. Shake well. Strain into an old fashioned glass almost filled with crushed ice. Dust with the nutmeg, and serve. Bongos optional.
    • Combustible Edison
      Electrify your friends with amazing pyrotechnics!
      2 oz brandy
      1 oz Campari
      1 oz fresh lemon juice
      Combine Campari and lemon juice in shaker filled with cracked ice. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Heat brandy in chafing dish, then ignite and pour into glass. Cocktail Go BOOM! Plus, Fire = Pretty!
    • Hiroshima Bomber
      Dr. Strangelove's drink of choice.
      3/4 Triple sec
      1/4 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
      2-3 drops Grenadine
      Fill shot glass 3/4 with Triple Sec. Layer Bailey's on top. Drop Grenadine in center of shot; it should billow up like a mushroom cloud. Remember to "duck and cover."
    • Mad Scientist
      Any mad scientist will tell you that flames make drinking more fun. What good is science if no one gets hurt?
      1 oz Midori melon liqueur
      1-1/2 oz sour mix
      1 splash soda water
      151 proof rum
      Mix melon liqueur, sour mix and soda water with ice in shaker. Shake and strain into martini glass. Top with rum and ignite. Try to take over the world.
    • Laser Beam
      Warning: may result in amplified stimulated emission.
      1 oz Southern Comfort
      1/2 oz Amaretto
      1/2 oz sloe gin
      1/2 oz vodka
      1/2 oz Triple sec
      7 oz orange juice
      Combine all liquor in a full glass of ice. Shake well. Garnish with orange and cherry. Serve to attractive target of choice.
    • Quantum Theory
      Guaranteed to collapse your wave function:
      3/4 oz Rum
      1/2 oz Strega
      1/4 oz Grand Marnier
      2 oz Pineapple juice
      Fill with Sweet and sour
      Pour rum, strega and Grand Marnier into a collins glass. Add pineapple and fill with sweet and sour. Sip until all the day's super-positioned states disappear.
    • The Black Hole
      So called because after one of these, you have already passed the event horizon of inebriation.
      1 oz. Kahlua
      1 oz. vodka
      .5 oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec
      .5 oz. dark rum
      .5 oz. Amaretto
      Pour into an old-fashioned glass over (scant) ice. Stir gently. Watch time slow.