Thursday, November 04, 2021

Using a Helicopter to Settle a Physics Debate


A question on the 2014 US Physics Olympiad team qualifying exam has puzzled many for years. If you hang a flexible but consistent rope underneath a moving helicopter, which of the above shapes would that rope take? Derek Muller of Veritasium decided to find out once and for all, so he hired a helicopter and pilot to do the experiment. Think about how you would answer the question, and then watch the video.



Don't be concerned with the length of the video. The basic question is answered in about four minutes, but then they add some confounding factors that you'll find quite interesting. The last minute is an ad. (via Digg)

If you're interested, you can read the entire exam with answers here.

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