Aerodynamics

    What is Aerodynamics?

Aerodynamics is the study of airflow over the surface of airplanes, cars, and other objects that move partly through the air. It is called ‘streamlining’ when an object moves through water. Aerodynamics is also the branch of fluid mechanics that deals with the motion of air and other gaseous fluids acting on bodies of motion. Airplanes fly because of the way the air flows over their wings and around their bodies, so knowledge of aerodynamics is critical to the design and construction of airplanes. The flow of air even acts on buildings due to the wind that blows around them. Scientists, engineers, and architects all study aerodynamics to learn to design vehicles and structures that are sleek, ‘streamlined’, or have the least wind or air resistance.

Aerodynamics has to do with air resistance, more commonly known as drag. Drag is the         force that opposes a body’s movement through a fluid medium such as air or water. Drag can be reduced by sleek designs that cause less turbulence. Turbulence is violence or disturbances to aerodynamics which can cause structural damage to objects.

    Can aerodynamics be tested?

Aerodynamics can be tested in a horizontal tube called a wind tunnel. The need to test aerodynamics began when amateur nineteenth century aviators studied the flight behavior of birds before building their flying machines. The resulting bird-like flying machines failed miserably, because the builders had no knowledge of lift and drag forces that act on wing surfaces as they cut through air. “Lift” is in this case the force that pushes wings (when at high speed) up. The earliest invention for testing what happens during flight was a whirling arm. English mathematician Benjamin Robins first used such a device in the eighteenth century . He mounted objects shaped like pyramids and unusually long plates on the arm tip and spun them in different directions. He found that no simple theory would account for the complex forces acting on the moving objects.

    When an airplane is flying, which different forces are acting on it?

When an airplane is flying many different forces are acting on it such as lift, drag, gravity , and acceleration. Gravity is the downward force that pulls an object toward the center of the earth. Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with respect to time. Velocity is defined as the distance an object travels in a specified direction during a unit of time and is also known as speed.

    For the future of our planet, I think that effective aerodynamics will play a key role  in the most efficient use of our natural resources. This will effect renewable energy generation (wind power) and also fuel conservation when we travel: the more aerodynamic our vehicles are, the less power we consume.

    Some of the reasons I chose this topi are that I am very into airplanes, cars, and boats. Something that they all have in common is that they are all aerodynamic. Another reason I chose this topic is because when I grow up I would like to be an aircraft designer and I believe a knowledge of aerodynamics will help me do that job very effectively. My last reason I did my project on aerodynamics is that if we make our vehicles aerodynamic we will be able to travel more effectively and efficiently without using so many of our natural and nonrenewable resources.

    So all in all: Planes would not be able to fly without mankind knowing about Aerodynamics. It also improves car’s fuel efficiency and speed, which makes it a very important force to this plant.