Final answer:
Helicopter pilots must maintain critical rotational kinetic energy in the blades for lift, which is vital to avoid crashes. Newton's third law is instrumental in understanding the behavior of helicopter rotors and the necessity of tail rotors or dual counter-rotating blades to counteract torque.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing helicopter dynamics, the importance of rotational kinetic energy is paramount. Helicopter pilots must ensure that the rotational kinetic energy of their blades does not drop below a critical level to maintain lift and avoid a crash. The engine's power is primarily used to maintain this energy and cannot support significant increases during flight. In cases where blades slow down, potential crashes might be avoided by using gravitational potential energy to increase blade rotation through a controlled descent. However, this is not possible if the altitude is too low.
Newton's Third Law and Helicopters
In relation to Newton's third law, the small propeller or tail rotor of a helicopter provides thrust in one direction to counteract the torque caused by the main rotor spinning in the opposite direction. In helicopters with dual rotors, the blades are configured to rotate in opposing directions to counteract each other's torque, negating the need for a tail rotor.