• Question: Why doesn't gravity apply to seagulls as much as it does for us?

    Asked by blondebombshell1 to Aled, Ellie, Fiona, Kev, Willem on 11 Mar 2014.
    • Photo: Aled Roberts

      Aled Roberts answered on 11 Mar 2014:

      Hi Blondebombshell1!

      It does apply to seagulls! Gravity applies to everything on earth! Seagulls and airplanes are able to LIFT off by having wind flow over their wings! A rocket defies gravity by shear brute force! Blasting off and reaching speeds that allow it to escape the effects of gravity!

      Hope that answers your question! 🙂

    • Photo: Kevin Arbuckle

      Kevin Arbuckle answered on 11 Mar 2014:

      Gravity is stronger nearest the ground, so gravity is very slightly weaker when birds such as seagulls are flying. But in practice there isn’t so much difference and seagulls are just as susceptible to gravity as everything else. What lets seagulls and other birds fly is something called ‘aerodynamics’, which is the way that air flows over their wings to lift them up. Bird wings are shaped in a very special way to let them fly, and the same ideas are used by planes to make them fly too.

    • Photo: Willem Heijltjes

      Willem Heijltjes answered on 11 Mar 2014:

      Also, birds are very light by design – their bones are hollow, for instance!

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