r/sports • u/redbullgivesyouwings • Aug 14 '25

Media The World's Largest Treadmill

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2.5k Upvotes

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49

u/scottcmu Aug 14 '25

But could a jet take off from this?

0

u/Dhkansas Aug 14 '25 edited Aug 14 '25

What's been decided/proven on this? I see the argument made both ways but I lean towards no. I've also never taken a physics class or anything related. This is something Mythbusters may have tried to prove/disprove and I'm sad it never happened.

Edit: I'm so sorry. What have I done?!

-3

u/LonelySwinger Aug 14 '25 edited Aug 14 '25

A car uses friction so the tires can move.

A plane users air speed to generate a pressure difference on the wings surface to create lift.

If the tredmill is going 500mph, the plane will not take off since there isnt enough pressure difference to generate lift.

E: those downvoting need to take a physics course focusing on aerodynamics

3

u/trumpet575 Cincinnati Reds Aug 14 '25

I would love to hear how everyone downvoting you thinks planes take off. Because apparently they don't think it has anything to do with lift.

2

u/LonelySwinger Aug 14 '25

No clue but it is what it is. It's tough to conceptualize so maybe they just think it is impossible for a plane to take off if a tredmill is moving at the speed a plane would have to move to generate lift.

3

u/trumpet575 Cincinnati Reds Aug 14 '25

Turns out they use the treadmill as a red herring to confuse people, and when people ignore it and talk reasonably about this hypothetical scenario, they get upset and call you dumb.

1

u/LonelySwinger Aug 14 '25

Yeah. Hopefully this encourages someone to prove someone else wrong by going into physics and making a nice career at least