Extension Blog Post #1

Extension Blog Post #1

Extension(s):
1. How could scientists and researchers figure out where a plane crashed? What information would they have to start out with? What assumptions would they have to make?  What type of equation might they use to predict where the plane went? Why would they want to figure this out before they got ‘in the water’ to search?

Scientists and researchers could figure out where a plane crashed by learning its velocity, if it had accelerated or decelerated during flight, and the plane's destination. The fact that the plane went in a u-turn is useful for learning the plane's location because it would mean that it had accelerated during the flight. Even so, the only way it would have made a u-turn is if the pilot changed the direction, or they were rendered any sight of where they were going. Also, if any debris was found, it could probably give a direction for the plane's crash or changed destination. Assumptions they'd have to make is that the plane hadn't passed its take off area when it took a u-turn, so anything on one side of the "u" could be where the plane crash landed. If about the way it crashed, it could have been technical problems, a person sabotaging the plane, or dangerous weather. By learning this, the scientists would come up with a conclusion on the cause of the plane's crash landing, and the location of the crash. Scientists would want to figure this out because then they could have some sort of clue to help them find the plane.