Reference Terms

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics (shaping of objects that affect the flow of air, liquid or gas) is a branch of fluid dynamics concerned with the study of forces and gas flows.

The solution of an aerodynamic problem normally involves calculating for various properties of the flow, such as velocity, pressure, density, and temperature, as a function of space and time.

Understanding the flow pattern makes it possible to calculate or approximate the forces and moments acting on bodies in the flow.

This mathematical analysis and empirical approximation form the scientific basis for heavier-than-air flight.

Note: The above text is excerpted from the Wikipedia article "Aerodynamics", which has been released under the GNU Free Documentation License.

For more information, see the following related content on ScienceDaily:

Engineer Devises Ways To Improve Gas Mileage

Mar. 18, 2009 — A mechanical engineer is developing techniques that will lessen our monetary pain at the pump by reducing the drag of vehicles. Drag is an aerodynamic force that is the result of resistance a body ... read more

Water Tunnel Makes For Exacting Hydrodynamics For Product Testing

May 29, 2009 — The fifth largest and newest water tunnel in the United States has just been completed. The tunnel has been under construction for more than a year, holds thousands of gallons of water and has taken ... read more

Fluid Dynamics: Resolving Shockwaves More Accurately

July 18, 2013 — A new computational scheme enables more stable simulations of shockwaves in fluids and may be scalable for large engineering ... read more

What Makes Flying Snakes Such Gifted Gliders?

Mar. 4, 2014 — They slither, they hiss, they… fly? Don’t let their wingless bodies fool you —- some snakes can glide as far as 100 feet through the air, jumping off tree branches and rotating their ribs to ... read more

Flexible Wings Driven by Simple Oscillation May Be Viable for Efficient Micro Air Vehicles

Nov. 23, 2010 — To avoid some of the design challenges involved in creating micro-scale air vehicles that mimic the flapping of winged insects or birds, researchers propose using flexible wings that are driven by a ... read more

Understanding the Physics of Turbulent Flows Inside Turbines

Apr. 2, 2014 — Researchers are aiming to shed new light into the physics of turbulent flows inside the turbines of aero-engines. The aerodynamics of the turbine blades affects the efficiency of the engine, while ... read more

New Ball to Showcase Talent in World Cup

June 5, 2014 — Physics experts believe the new soccer ball created for the 2014 FIFA World Cup starting next week is a “keepers’ ball”. The new ball, called Brazuca, should be much more predictable than the ... read more

Boat Tail Reduces Truck Fuel Consumption By 7.5 Percent

Nov. 9, 2009 — A boat tail, a tapering protrusion mounted on the rear of a truck, leads to fuel savings of 7.5 percent. This is due to dramatically improved aerodynamics, as shown by road tests conducted by the ... read more

Birds, Bats And Insects Hold Secrets For Aerospace Engineers

Feb. 9, 2008 — Natural flyers like birds, bats and insects outperform man-made aircraft in aerobatics and efficiency. Engineers are studying these animals as a step toward designing flapping-wing planes with ... read more

Mimicking Humpback Whale Flippers May Improve Airplane Wing Design

May 13, 2004 — Wind tunnel tests of scale-model humpback whale flippers have revealed that the scalloped, bumpy flipper is a more efficient wing design than is currently used by the aeronautics industry on ... read more

Share This Page:

Matter & Energy News

September 29, 2016

3-D Printing to Induce Bone Regeneration

Optical Fiber Transmits One Terabit Per Second

Manufacturing More Efficient Solar Cells

Marsh Erosion from Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Latest Headlines

updated 12:56 pm ET

Traveling Through the Body With Graphene

Sep. 28, 2016 — Researchers have succeeded to place a layer of graphene on top of a stable fatty lipid monolayer, for the first time. Surrounded by a protective shell of lipids graphene could enter the body and ... read more

Toward 'Greener,' Inexpensive Solar Cells

Sep. 28, 2016 — Solar panels are proliferating across the globe to help reduce the world's dependency on fossil fuels. But conventional panels are not without environmental costs, too. Now scientists report a new ... read more

Study of North Atlantic Ocean Reveals Decline of Leaded Petrol Emissions

Sep. 28, 2016 — A new study of lead pollution in the North Atlantic provides strong evidence that leaded petrol emissions have declined over the past few decades. For the first time in around 40 years, scientists ... read more

Mechanical Behavior of Tiny Structures Is Affected by Atomic Defects

Sep. 28, 2016 — Scientists have measured the mechanics of tiny crystalline ceramics. Materials are made of atoms, and if they are arranged periodically, they are called crystalline ... read more

New Steel for Better Electric Motors Under Development

Sep. 28, 2016 — A new kind of steel for the motors in electric vehicles is now under development. The new steel would help make the motors smaller, lighter, more powerful and more ... read more

New Imaging Technique in Alzheimer's Disease Opens Up Possibilities for New Drug Development

Sep. 28, 2016 — Tau PET is a new and promising imaging method for Alzheimer’s disease. A case study in Sweden now confirms that tau PET images correspond to a ... read more

Scientists Visualize Quantum Behavior of Hot Electrons for First Time

Sep. 28, 2016 — Scientists have, for the first time, identified a method of visualizing the quantum behavior of electrons on a surface. The findings present a promising step forward towards ... read more

Mass Producing Graphene Using Microwaves

Sep. 27, 2016 — A simple new method for producing large quantities of the promising nanomaterial graphene has been discovered by an international team ... read more

Groundbreaking Study Sheds Light on Treating Cancer

Sep. 27, 2016 — A new cancer treatment that uses red lights to target and kill cancer cells alternatively without surgery has been presented ... read more

Way Found to Make Alane a Better Hydrogen Fuel Option for Vehicles

Sep. 27, 2016 — A less-expensive, more energy-efficient way has been found to produce alane – aluminum trihydride – a hydrogen source widely considered to be a technological dead-end for use in automotive ... read more