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Why Can’t You Switch Seats in an Empty Airplane?


Yes, the weight distribution on an aircraft really does affect how well it flies. Our physics guy explains.

So you’re thinking maaaybe you’ll just move up a few rows, where there's a nice window seat with a view that's not obstructed by the wing. Looking back at Newton's second law, it says that a net force changes the motion of an object ( F net= mass × acceleration). Here’s a little experiment: Place a pencil on a flat table and then, taking your two index fingers, push from opposite sides, right at the center.

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