Invidious

ANSWER: (click: Read more) The boat won't move anywhere - at best, it might spin around on the spot! When the fan pushes air forwards, this exerts a force pushing the boat backwards (thank you Newton's third law). And that force is an even match, give or take a little air escaping sideways, for the force that the air will exert on the sail pushing the boat forwards. You would be better off using the fan a bit like a propellor, pushing air backwards from the rear of the boat and ignoring the sail altogether! There are lots of fun demonstrations of this problem, such as: https://youtu.be/n9cdfUYkrLY?si=tHlO-slAL_DehO57&t=38

2 months ago | 0

@reznik232

It won't move.

2 months ago | 8

@sewerrat7612

I think it would depend on the amount of air on the sale compared to the additional weight of the fan. If the fan moves enough air I'd think the boat would move in the direction the fans blowing.

2 months ago | 1