How does the force of lift affect
aircraft?
Review some of the ideas we discussed in
Bernoulli's
Principle.
Lift is a partial vacuum created above the surface of an
airplane's wing causing the wing to be "lifted" upward. The special
shape of the airplane wing (air foil) is designed so that air flowing
over it will have to travel a greater distance faster, resulting in a
low pressure area thus lifting the wing upward. Lift is that force
which opposes gravity.
Discuss in your group the following issues:
- What is the role of the five factors which contribute to
lift? • wing
area
•
velocity (thrust)
•
camber
•
angle of attack
•
air density
- What happens to the force of lift if we add weight to a
wing?
- What happens to the force of lift if we increase thrust?
- Why fighter-type military aircrafts have thin wings?
- How are fighter-type military aircrafts' speeds during
takeoff and landing compared to conventional airplanes? Why?
