Forces Acting on an Aircraft & Impact of Aviation

Front

What is Weight (W) in the context of aircraft forces?

Back

The gravitational force pulling the aircraft toward Earth.

Front

What is Lift (L) in the context of aircraft forces?

Back

The upward force generated by the wings to counteract the aircraft's weight.

Front

What is Drag (D) in the context of aircraft forces?

Back

The resistance force opposing the aircraft's motion through the air.

Front

What is Thrust (T) in the context of aircraft forces?

Back

The forward force provided by the engines to overcome drag and maintain or increase speed.

Front

Define Lift in aviation.

Back

Lift is the force that opposes weight and allows an aircraft to stay aloft, explained by Bernoulli’s Principle and Newton’s Third Law of Motion.

Front

Explain Bernoulli’s Principle in relation to lift.

Back

Air moving faster over the top of the wing creates lower pressure than the air moving slower beneath it, generating lift.

Front

Explain Newton’s Third Law in relation to lift.

Back

When the wing redirects airflow downward, the reaction from the redirected air pushes the wing upward, creating lift.

Front

How do aircraft create lift?

Back

By creating a pressure differential—lower pressure above the wing and higher pressure below, achieved by the wing’s movement through the air.

Front

What is the Angle of Attack?

Back

The angle at which the wing meets the airflow, impacting the amount of lift and drag.

Front

Give an example of lift and drag using a car window.

Back

When you hold your hand out of a moving car window, tilting your hand creates lift (pushing it upwards) and drag (pulling it backward).