Final answer:
Airplanes avoid collisions by adhering to strict regulations set by the FAA, which require lateral and vertical separation. These rules are monitored and enforced by air traffic controllers using radar and communication systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
To ensure that airplanes can fly safely without running into each other, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented strict regulations regarding flight paths. Commercial airliners are required to maintain a minimum distance of five miles laterally from other planes flying at the same altitude. Vertically, they must be separated by 2,000 feet from aircraft flying above or below them—or 1,000 feet if they are flying at altitudes less than 29,000 feet. This structured separation is similar to how quantum mechanics dictates the positioning of electrons, where they have defined areas they can occupy.
These regulations are enforced with the help of air traffic control, which constantly monitors the position of each aircraft in the sky. Use of advanced radar systems, flight tracking technologies, and communication between pilots and air traffic controllers facilitate adherence to these protocols, thereby preventing collisions and maintaining orderly traffic flow in the air.