What Are the Four Forces of Flight?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What are the four forces of flight?

The Big Idea

Every flying thing is balanced by four forces. Lift, weight, thrust, and drag all push and pull at once. Birds, bees, and kites follow the same four rules!

Lift Pushes Up

Step one: up and down. Lift pushes a flying thing up, and weight, which is gravity, pulls it down. A plane flies level when lift equals weight.

Thrust and Drag

Step two: forward and back. Thrust pushes a flying thing forward, and drag pulls it back. A plane flies steadily when thrust equals drag.

Change the Balance

Step three: change the balance. Pilots change the balance to climb, speed up, slow down, or land. Birds, bees, and kites all follow the same four rules.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Lift pushes up. Weight pulls down. Thrust pushes forward. Drag pulls back.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! A bird flaps to make both lift and thrust at the same time. A plane flies level when lift equals weight and thrust equals drag. Bees follow the same four rules. Kites use the four forces too.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Draw a paper plane. Add four arrows around it. Label them lift, weight, thrust, and drag. Which arrow do you think is the biggest? Write down what you notice, and share it with a grown-up.

Outro

Every flyer is balanced by lift, weight, thrust, and drag, and pilots change the balance to climb, speed up, slow down, or land. Science is amazing! Keep asking questions! The more you look around, the more wonders you will find, so keep your eyes open! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!