A Boeing 737 airliner has a mass of 20 000 kg and the total area of both wings (top or bottom) is 100 m². What is the pressure difference between the top and bottom surface of each wing when the airplane is in flight at a constant altitude? A) 1 960 N/m² B) 3 920 N/m² C) 7 840 N/m² D) 4 560 N/m² E) 3 070 N/m²

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To keep the airplane at a constant altitude, the lift force must equal the weight of the airplane. The weight of the airplane is the mass (20,000 kg) times the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s^2), which equals 196,000 N. The pressure difference required to produce this lift force can be found by dividing the lift force by the wing area (100 m^2), resulting in a pressure difference of 1,960 N/m^2.

A Boeing 737 Airliner Has a Mass of 20 000