motor in a can

[will p3]

Anyone wondered what would happen if you put a electric motor with prop in a sealed can, what would happen, would the can move?what would happen to all the air?.

[Sparky Paul]

The vibration of the system might make the can move, but other than that, there won't be any external indication that anything is going on inside the can.
The smell from the cooked motor... :)

[jbatch]

Assuming no imbalance on the part of the motor, motion of the can would occur
on startup and shutdown of the motor, proportional to, and in reverse of, change
of angular momentum of the motor/prop.

[will p3]

so it is possible to make the can move, i am thinking of the propertys of thrust here, but for continual thrust one would need to thrust of something external and free to itself .
For instance when a prop passes over a wide fueslage like the gee bee is it actually thrusting off the fuse or is it just dead pressure as it is connected to itself like in the can?.

[jbatch]

You can develop an understanding of aerodynamics by reading a basic text on
mechanics (Newtonian mechanics; not quantum). Only with an understanding
of the basic laws that govern mass, motion, momentum, etc., will you will be
able to frame your questions succinctly and without ambiguities, so that they
can be understood. Then, you'll get answers. Sorry if this seems evasive. It's
not meant that way. I'd really like to help.

[will p3]

No thats ok no offenece, I got my imagination! gets me through everytime,i understand most things sometimes i just need a kickstart to imagine them in real world terms.I think not knowing the theory helps me solves problems better as nothing gets in my way when it comes to solving a problem.I find theory useless unless it is used praticlly.knowing is only half, doing is full.
The problem i find is finding someone that does know the theory having the skill to put it in a way that most people can see or understand so they can realte to it.