GLOSSARY
AERODYNAMICIST
A person who studies aerodynamics.
AERODYNAMICS
The science that deals with the motion of air and other gaseous
fluids and the forces acting on objects as a result of the relative
motion between the air and the object..
AILERON
The part of the airplane that control the roll .
AIRFOIL
A streamlined surface designed in such a way that air flowing
around it produces useful motion. The cross section of an airplane
wing is an airfoil.
AIRSPEED
This indicates how fast the wing moves through the air, or how
fast the air is moving past the wing. Depending on the system
of units we are using, it is measured in miles per hour, feet
per second, or kilometers per hour.
ALTITUDE
This indicates the height above sea level at which our wing is
flying. It is measured in feet or meters. This becomes important
for wings because the conditions of the air (temperature, pressure,
and density) change as we go higher. This will effect the amount
of lift that a wing generates.
ANGLE
This indicates how the airfoil is inclined to the air coming towards
it. It is measured in degrees. At zero degrees, the front of the
airfoil is pointed directly into the stream. At
90 degrees it is pointed straight up. It is also referred to as
the Angle of Attack. The angle of attack in this simulation is
limited since it does not depict stall characteristics.
AREA
This indicates the wing area in square feet or square meters when
the wing is viewed from above. It is equal to the chord length
times the wing span for our simple straight wing. The simulation
only shows the side view (cross-section) of the airfoil.
CAMBER
This is a measure of the curvature of the airfoil. The mean camber
line is an imaginary line which lies halfway between the upper
surface and lower surface of the airfoil and intersects the chord
line at the leading and trailing edges. But between the leading
and trailing edge the camber line can curve above or below the
chord line. The camber value specified here
gives the highest value above or below the chord line divided
by the chord length.
CHORD
The chord length is the distance from the leading edge to the
trailing edge of the airfoil. The chord line is a straight line
connecting the leading and trailing edges of an airfoil.
ELEVATORS
The part of the airplane that controls the pitch.
EQUATION
A statement that relates two quantities, usually with an equals
sign (=).
(examples: A=6, A+B = C)
FLAPS
The part of the plane that is deployed when landing or taking
off. The flaps increase lift and decrease velocity.
FORCE
A push or pull exerted on an object usually measured in pounds
or Newtons.
FRICTION
The resistance to relative motion between two surfaces in contact
GEOMETRY
1) the physical shape and dimensions of an object, 2) the branch
of mathematics that deals with the relations and measurements
of lines, angles, surfaces and solids.
LIFT
A force generated by a wing which acts perpendicular (90 degrees)
to the incoming flow. This is what lets an airplane climb.
PITCH
The up and down motion of an airplane.
PRESSURE
The ratio of force exerted over a unit area divided by the area.
(e.g., k-pascals, pounds per square inch).
ROLL
The maneuver an airplane uses to turn the airplane.
RUDDER
The part of the airplane that controls the yaw (side to side motion)
of the airplane.
SPAN
The span of a wing is the distance from one wing tip to the other.
STAGNATION
The point on an airfoil that separates the upper and lower streamlines.
These are depicted by a single white line between the yellow and
green streamlines.
STREAMLINES
A line depicting the flow path of a particle of air.
THERMODYNAMICS
The science concerned with the conversion of heat to energy.
THICKNESS
This gives the maximum difference between the upper and lower
airfoil surfaces divided by the chord length.
TRAJECTORY
The curve described by a projectile in flight
TURBULENCE
Irregular motion of air; uneven currents of air.
VELOCITY
The rate of motion in a particular direction. The combination
of airspeed and direction.
WIND TUNNEL
A facility where an airstream is forced across an airfoil or other
objects to study aerodynamics.
WING
A three dimensional object that moves through the air and can
generate lift. In this simulator we will study a simple straight
wing whose leading edge and trailing edge are parallel. When viewed
from above, this wing will look like a rectangle and when viewed
from the side, we will see a cross-section which can be either
a flat plate, or an airfoil
shape. The cross-section will be displayed on the airfoil view
panel.
YAW
The side to side motion of an airplane.
Related Pages:
LIFT Home Page
Aeronautics Activities
Aerospace Activities Page
Aerodynamics Index
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