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Why does air passing over the wing of an airplane cause the wing to lift?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
A wing creates lift by imparting a downward momentum to the air flowing above and below it. The rate of change of momentum is equal to Force (Newton's 2nd law), and therefore a reaction force pushes the wing up, producing lift (Newton's 3rd law).
The imparting of this downward momentum ("downwash") to the air results from an air pressure differential above/below the wing. If you know the pressure above the wing and the pressure below the wing, and the wing area, you can calculate the lift force on the wing since Force = Pressure x Area. If you don't know the pressures, you can get a rough estimate if you know what the average air velocities are above and below the wing. A wing creating lift will have higher speed air flowing over the top of it than flowing below it. By employing Bernoulli's Principle, you can calculate a pressure difference corresponding to the difference in velocity.
An airfoil shape is effective in generating lift since it helps to keep the air flowing smoothly around the wing, making the wing more effective in diverting the air downwards. Air tends to flow more smoothly around curved shapes rather than abrupt sharp edges which is why the top of an aircraft wing always is curved. Even a perfectly flat wing can create lift (such as in a toy balsa wood glider). However a flat wing isn't practical for a full sized airplane since it's not quite as effective in producing lift. The air doesn't flow smoothly past the sharp leading edge, resulting in a lot of drag and an abrupt stall.
Note that there is no requirement that the air molecules separating at the leading edge and flowing below the wing meet up with the same molecules that flow over the top. This is called the "equal transit time theory" and is a popular science myth that unfortunately has found it's way into flight manuals and even some undergraduate texts. However, aerodynamics engineers have known ever since they started doing wind tunnel testing that the air flowing over a lifting wing reaches the trailing edge sooner than the air below it. This is true even for a perfectly flat wing. This can be explained in terms of the circulation theory, which is an advanced concept.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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What is the lift of an airplane?
Lift is the force that is created by the air-flow over the wings and body of an airplane. It is one of the 3 aerodynamic forces acting on an airplane in flight: Lift, Drag & Thrust.AddendumI was taught that there were four forces acting on an aircraft. Lift, drag, thrust and weight. Lift and weight are up and down forces, while thrust and drag are fore and aft forces. Lift forces must be equal to or greater than weight forces for the aircraft to fly. As the first answer points out, lift is generated through the application of Bernoulli's principle.i dont noBy making a LOT of assumptions I can simplify it to: the air passing over the top of the airfoil shape of the wing pushes a lot less than the air passing under the wing, which results in a net upward (one of those assumptions) force. By controlling many things like; the speed of the air passing the wing (or from the other perspective, our speed through the air), angle of attack of the wing, turbulence and many others we can control how much net upward force we want resulting in lifting the plane off the ground and direction.
As air molecules move over and under wings of an airplane the pressure increases below the wings to create which of the following?
Lift
How does an airplane take off?
Moving forward, air rushing over the wings causes them to produce lift. When the amount of lift created is greater than the weight of the plane it will rise off the ground.
What is lift on a airplane?
Lift is what " Lifts" an airplane off of the ground. Most commonly an airfoil wing is used to achieve lift. An airfoil is when the top of the wing is curved and the bottom is flat. This makes the pressure go fast over the top and slow underneath. This means more pressure under it at one time so that makes it go up! I hope that helped you!
How do airplane wings work to achieve lift?
An Airplanes wings work to achieve lift by using and airfoil shape. This means that the top of the wing is curved and the bottom is flat. The air flows faster over the top of the wing and slower on the bottom. This causes the higher pressure that is now on the bottom to lift up the airplane from the wings. This kind of lift cannot work without thrust to start lifting it up! I hope this helped!
Why airplane moves forward to fly why not helicopter do like that?
Because the airplane must have airflow over it's wings to get lift. Helicp[ters get lift from the main rotor turning
What is affected by an airplane's speed?
Airflow ans lift over the airframe is affected by the airplane's speed.
How does an airplane achieve lift?
The speed of air over and under the wings creates pressure which is lift.
How is lift generated on an aircraft?
Rate of air passing over the wings
Does the shape of an airfoil cause the top of an airplane wing to travel faster or slower than the air underneath the wing?
Faster. This is how lift is produced over the surface of the wing because the pressure is decreased over the top surface Lift=Coefficient of lift x 0.5density of air x speed (squared) x surface area.
What is the lift of an airplane?
Lift is the force that is created by the air-flow over the wings and body of an airplane. It is one of the 3 aerodynamic forces acting on an airplane in flight: Lift, Drag & Thrust.AddendumI was taught that there were four forces acting on an aircraft. Lift, drag, thrust and weight. Lift and weight are up and down forces, while thrust and drag are fore and aft forces. Lift forces must be equal to or greater than weight forces for the aircraft to fly. As the first answer points out, lift is generated through the application of Bernoulli's principle.i dont noBy making a LOT of assumptions I can simplify it to: the air passing over the top of the airfoil shape of the wing pushes a lot less than the air passing under the wing, which results in a net upward (one of those assumptions) force. By controlling many things like; the speed of the air passing the wing (or from the other perspective, our speed through the air), angle of attack of the wing, turbulence and many others we can control how much net upward force we want resulting in lifting the plane off the ground and direction.
What is Lift and drag?
Lift is an aerodynamic force that results from the air passing over the curvature of the wing. It causes a reaction. A high pressure on the bottom of the wing and a lower pressure on top of the wing. As a result, high pressure wants to go to low pressure and so the wind is lifted into the air. Drag is the force opposite to thrust. It is created by the airplane as it moves through the air. The faster the airplane, the more the drag.
Why a paper airplane that is aimed towards the sky will return to the ground?
a paper airplane will run out of momentum, momentum (speed, vertical speed is required for the airflow over the wings to generate lift, a too high angle of attack (nose high) will cause disrupt airflow over the wings and the plane will stall
How does an airplane flywhat are the main parts and their functions of an airplane that cause the flyingdiagram and machine related answer is helpful.?
An airplane flies based on lift. Air flowing over the specially shaped wings causes lift.The main parts of the airplane include the wings, the elevator or stabilator, the rudder, the body of the aircraft (which includes the nose and tail of the aircraft), landing gear, and of course the propellor.
Why airplane float in air?
Because the speed of the air over the wing generates 'lift' to make it fly.
Why airplane float in the air?
Because the speed of the air over the wing generates 'lift' to make it fly.
When you're getting the jetpack how do you get up and over the spaceship in Early Poptropica?
The wind from the engines of the junk airplane will lift you over the top.
