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Brain Teaser
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 11:53 pm
by bennymacca
Disclaimer: you will forever be that little bit nerdier just for reading this.
Okay. there is a plane that is sitting on a conveyor belt. the conveyor belt stretches out for a long way in each direction. the plane moves in one direction, while the conveyor belt moves in the opposite direction. There is a control system in the conveyor belt that allows it to exactly match the speed of the plane, but in the opposite direction.
Can the Plane Take off?
Re: Brain Teaser
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 11:55 pm
by bennymacca
Also another (very easy) one
You look in a mirror, and let's say you part your hair on the right side. You look in the mirror, and your image has its hair parted on the left side, so the image is left-to-right mixed up. But it's not top-to-bottom mixed up, because the top of the head of the image is there at the top, and the feet are down at the bottom. The question is: how does the mirror know to get the left and right mixed up, but not the up and down?
Re: Brain Teaser
Posted: Thu May 29, 2008 11:57 pm
by Garth Kay
Yes it can, easily.
The joys of having a pilots license, is the tests you have to sit.
And engineering degree helps as well.
Re: Brain Teaser
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 12:00 am
by Hans_Gruber
bennymacca wrote:Disclaimer: you will forever be that little bit nerdier just for reading this.
Okay. there is a plane that is sitting on a conveyor belt. the conveyor belt stretches out for a long way in each direction. the plane moves in one direction, while the conveyor belt moves in the opposite direction. There is a control system in the conveyor belt that allows it to exactly match the speed of the plane, but in the opposite direction.
Can the Plane Take off?
I would say no.It is the movement of air across the wings that gives lift to a plane - in this case the plane would be remaining effectively motionless with the air surrounding it, hence no lift.
Re: Brain Teaser
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 12:01 am
by Hans_Gruber
bennymacca wrote:Also another (very easy) one
You look in a mirror, and let's say you part your hair on the right side. You look in the mirror, and your image has its hair parted on the left side, so the image is left-to-right mixed up. But it's not top-to-bottom mixed up, because the top of the head of the image is there at the top, and the feet are down at the bottom. The question is: how does the mirror know to get the left and right mixed up, but not the up and down?
Probably something to do with your eyes being side-by-side, not above and below each other. Would be an interesting experiment to put goggles on people so the image each eye sees is above/below the other. Would love to see the result....
Re: Brain Teaser
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 12:02 am
by bennymacca
Garth Kay wrote:Yes it can, easily.
The joys of having a pilots license, is the tests you have to sit.
And engineering degree helps as well.
why? i dont just want a yes/no answer
Re: Brain Teaser
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 12:03 am
by Hans_Gruber
Garth Kay wrote:Yes it can, easily.
The joys of having a pilots license, is the tests you have to sit.
And engineering degree helps as well.
Well, as much as I thought my reply made logical sense, I will certainly take the word of a pilot over that of a business analyst in this case...
Re: Brain Teaser
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 12:04 am
by bennymacca
Hans_Gruber wrote:Probably something to do with your eyes being side-by-side, not above and below each other.
yeah that one was easy
Hans_Gruber wrote:Would be an interesting experiment to put goggles on people so the image each eye sees is above/below the other. Would love to see the result....
turn your head to the side and you can see the result

Re: Brain Teaser
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 12:10 am
by Hans_Gruber
bennymacca wrote:Hans_Gruber wrote:Probably something to do with your eyes being side-by-side, not above and below each other.
yeah that one was easy
Hans_Gruber wrote:Would be an interesting experiment to put goggles on people so the image each eye sees is above/below the other. Would love to see the result....
turn your head to the side and you can see the result

True, but the mind still interprets it as your eyes being side-by-side (each eye still sees horizontally). I heard that if you put goggles on that switch your vision upside down, then a few days later your mind compensates and flips the image. Bit of a bugger though when you take the goggles off and have to wait a few days to adjust back...
Re: Brain Teaser
Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 12:14 am
by Brett Kay
Part 1:
What kind of plane? Probably irrelevant.
More likely as it is a frictionless surface. I.E it is not moving, but standing still. It wouldn't be able to take off. As Hans said, air flow to create lift is needed.
VTOL might create a different problem though.
Part 2:
The Mirror to create the left to right right to left effect. Is from us showing it an image in which it is reflecting it back.
I.E that is our right hand is on the left hand side of the mirror. and it is reflecting it directly back to us.
As to the up and down, we are still being reflected back, but our left ear is on the right side. E.t.c
Think of it as two people looking at each other. For me to create the mirror effect i need to raise my right hand, for you to raise your left hand.
Crap explanations i know. I am tired
Brett