propeller

A propeller is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral, that when rotated performs an action which is similar to Archimedes' screw. It transforms rotational power into linear thrust by acting upon a working fluid such as water or air. The rotational motion of the blades is converted into thrust by creating a pressure difference between the two surfaces. A given mass of working fluid is accelerated in one direction and the craft moves in the opposite direction. Propeller dynamics, like those of aircraft wings, can be modelled by Bernoulli's principle and Newton's third law. Most marine propellers are screw propellers with helical blades rotating around an approximately horizontal axis or propeller shaft.

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