Chapter 6: Problem 84
All birds, independent of their size, must maintain a power output of 10\(-\)25 watts per kilogram of body mass in order to fly by flapping their wings. (a) The Andean giant hummingbird (\(Patagona gigas\)) has mass 70 g and flaps its wings 10 times per second while hovering. Estimate the amount of work done by such a hummingbird in each wingbeat. (b) A 70-kg athlete can maintain a power output of 1.4 kW for no more than a few seconds; the \(steady\) power output of a typical athlete is only 500 W or so. Is it possible for a human-powered aircraft to fly for extended periods by flapping its wings? Explain.
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.