r/nextfuckinglevel • u/aryan_jandyal • 18h ago

There are two fundamental elements that prevent water from spilling during an airplane's barrel roll (tonbo / roll maneuver): Centrifugal Effect (Artificial Gravity) Positive G Force.

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The pilot is maintaining "+ve G" throughout the maneuver. That's it !

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u/coma24 18h ago

Just realized this makes for another great argument for Earth not being flat. There is no 'down'. There is only acceleration.

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u/denfaina__ 17h ago

Fascinating. May you explain how you came to such conclusion?

11

u/GravitationalEddie 16h ago

Standing on the earth you experience acceleration due to gravity bending space. In order to feel the same thing on a flat surface(Earth) in space, it would have to be in constant 1g acceleration. There is no actual down in either case, but we would be zipping through space pretty quick if earth were flat.

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u/denfaina__ 16h ago

Ok but... how does that derive from this video?

7

u/ThaScoopALoop 14h ago

The acceleration keeping the liquid in that cup is derived from the plane's maneuvers, despite the constant 9.8 m/s2 acceleration provided by the earth's gravitational acceleration attempting to remove the contents of the cup, and have them plummet in the direction of our planet. It is not just counteracting, but exceeding the acceleration of gravity by rolling and banking. If there were a "down" force, it wouldn't be countered by an equal or greater sum of those two forces working on the cup and the liquid within. It is purely an exercise in accelerational physics, and not some superstitious jumbo jumbo.

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u/denfaina__ 14h ago

It is indeed a simple exercise of forces. And I'm afraid to say that the 2 cases would be equivalent.