Final answer:
The FAA regulates aircraft by enforcing horizontal and vertical separation rules, likened to restrictions in quantum mechanics, to prevent collisions and ensure safe navigation.
Step-by-step explanation:
An aircraft must safely navigate the skies without coming into close contact with other aircraft or endangering people and structures on the ground. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prescribes strict rules for commercial airliners to prevent collisions and ensure safety. Planes flying at the same altitude are required to maintain a horizontal separation of five miles, and a vertical separation of 2,000 feet. When an aircraft's altitude is below 29,000 feet, this vertical clearance reduces to 1,000 feet. The similarities between these flight path restrictions and quantum mechanics, where electrons are limited in where they can exist, illustrate how both are governed by principles that ensure a controlled and orderly system.