十万个为什么·科学启蒙30篇（4）
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Why Airplane Windows Are Round Instead of Square
为什么飞机高空舷窗多为圆形
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Early jet planes had square windows, but several crashes revealed dangerous structural weaknesses at the corners.
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Sharp corners concentrate stress when cabin pressure increases during flight at high altitudes.
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Round windows distribute that pressure evenly across the curved surface without creating weak points.
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At cruising altitude, the air pressure inside the cabin is much higher than outside the plane.
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This pressure difference pushes outward on every part of the fuselage, especially around openings.
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Engineers use rounded shapes because they resist cracking under repeated pressurization cycles.
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Modern aircraft undergo thousands of simulated flights to test window durability and fatigue resistance.
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Even small imperfections near square corners can grow into serious cracks over time.
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Today’s acrylic and polycarbonate window materials also work best with smooth, curved designs.
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This simple shape change dramatically improved passenger safety in commercial aviation history.