Aerodynamics
The next time you hear an airplane flying overhead, look up, and pause for a moment. What you see is a machine that is heavier than air, but which is somehow being sustained in the air. This is due to the airflow over the airplane. This airflow exerts a lift force which counteracts the weight of the airplane and sustains it in the air—a good thing. The airflow also exerts a drag force on the airplane which retards its motion—a bad thing. The drag must be counteracted by the thrust of the engine in order to keep the airplane going. The production of thrust by the engine consumes energy. Hence, the energy efficiency of the airplane is intimately related to aerodynamic drag. This is just one of many examples where the disciplines of aerodynamics and energy interact.
Definition
Aerodynamics deals with the flow of gases, particularly air, and the interaction with objects immersed in the flow. The interaction takes the form of an aerodynamic force and moment exerted on the object by the flow, as well as heat transfer to the object (aero-dynamic heating) when the flow velocities exceed several times the speed of sound.
Sources of Aerodynamic Force
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