Originally Posted by Parker1287
My guess:
A boomerang's shape is similar to a plane's wing: an airfoil
As you know, an airfoil is shaped such that air travels faster over the foil than below it. This generates a high pressure system below the foil (due to relatively slow air movement) and a low pressure system above the foil (due to relatively fast air movement). The result is a net force pointing from the bottom of the foil to the top. I won't say "up" because if the foil is upside down then the net force is pointing down.
If a constant force is applied to an object, it will accelerate at a constant rate (Newton's second law). Therefore, the foil will constantly accelerate in the direction of its top side. If gravity were not present, then planes would constantly accelerate into the sky.
A boomerang is thrown at approximately a 45 degree angle, the reason for this is the following: If it were thrown at a 90 degree angle (vertically), then it would have lift only in the horizontal direction and would plummet to the ground with an acceleration of 9.8m/s^2. If it were thrown at a 0 degree angle (horizontal), it would have lift only in the vertical direction and rise up into the air, but never return to the thrower. A 45 degree angle provides a lift force in both the horizontal and vertical axis, allowing the boomerang to maintain its altitude while also accelerating in the horizontal direction (Note: circular motion at a constant angular velocity does not mean the object has a constant velocity, it is constantly accelerating towards the center of its circular path). My guess is that this horizontal lift force is how the boomerang is able to return to the thrower. However, I have no idea what mechanics induce a change in the pitch (the nose of an aircraft raising or lowering) which allows that force to point to the center of a circular path. Based on my explanation, the boomerang would point in the same direction the whole time and simply accelerate to the left (for a right handed thrower)
All a guess though
actually, that pretty well sums it up, and the spinning is much like a helicopter, it provides the lift.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
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Well actually it doesn't need to spin (the boomerang) to generate lift, all that's required is airflow over the foil. The thing about the boomerang is that it seems to be an omni-directional foil, meaning that airflow from any direction over the boomerang will generate lift. I think helicopters use a different method to gain lift, kind of a more brute force method of forcing air downwards (like a flying insect) possibly in combination with an airfoil effect. If there was a way to keep the boomerang stable while not rotating, and get enough speed on it, it would fly just like a glider.
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Windows experience index
Processor: 7.3
Memory: 7.3
Graphics: 7.7
Gaming Graphics: 7.7
HDD: 5.9
PC Wizard overall benchmark score: 61,000 (Compared to my laptop's 2100 LOL)
What's that thing that people say...... Oh yeah, that's it....
Fuck. Yeah.
This thing is so fucking snappy that I just came in my pants a little.
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