Bernoulli's Principle is a scientific law that states that as the speed of a fluid increases, its pressure decreases. This relationship between speed and pressure is known as the Bernoulli effect.
Bernoulli's Principle is the basis for the lift force that allows airplanes to fly. As air flows over the curved surface of an airplane's wing, the air on top moves faster than the air on the bottom, creating a difference in pressure that generates lift.
The equation for Bernoulli's Principle is P + 1/2ρv2 + ρgh = constant, where P is pressure, ρ is density, v is velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is height.
Bernoulli's Principle has many real-life applications, including airplane wings, sails on boats, and carburetors in cars. It is also used in medical devices such as ventilators and nebulizers.
One common misconception is that the shape of an airplane's wing is what creates lift. In reality, it is the difference in air pressure created by the air flow over the wing that generates lift. Another misconception is that Bernoulli's Principle can explain the lift of a spinning ball, when in fact the Magnus effect is responsible for this phenomenon.