13 / 48
13
Jesse looked doubtful. “Is
there really any such thing as
simple
physics?”
Tyrell laughed. “Sure there
is. Here, take Rocco and I’ll
show you something.”
Placing the big macaw on
Jesse’s shoulder, Tyrell led the kids into the back room. Glancing uncertainly at the bird on his
shoulder, Jesse followed Gabriella.
Tyrell pulled a book out of a desk drawer. “I like to read during my lunch break.” Pulling out
the strip of paper he used as a bookmark, he continued, “What do you think will happen if I
blow across this paper?”
Gabriella looked at the book and the strip of paper. “I bet it flaps in the wind you create with
your breath.”
“Let’s see.” As Tyrell gently blew across the top of the paper, the kids were surprised to see
the paper rise. Tyrell blew even harder and the paper came to a horizontal position and flapped
until he stopped blowing.
Putting the book down, Tyrell said with a smile. “And that is why Rocco, other birds, and
airplanes can fly.”
lift
the difference in pressure between
the top of a bird, or airplane, wing and
the bottom, enabling flight to occur
Words to Understand
The arrows show air moving over the wing. When the pressure over
the wing goes down, lift is created and the wing can rise.