Principles of Aerodynamics and the Theory of Flight

Sophia is observing the nature of airflow around different types of cars. She notices that the airflow can be:

• turbulent

• laminar

• both turbulent and laminar

• neither turbulent nor laminar

Evie is designing a model airplane and needs to choose a wing shape. What are the characteristics of the basic wing planform she should consider?

• The basic wing planform is rectangular.

• The basic wing planform is triangular.

• The basic wing planform is elliptical.

• The basic wing planform is trapezoidal.

Lily is learning about the forces acting on an aircraft in flight. She needs to identify these forces:

• Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Drag

• Lift, Gravity, Thrust, and Friction

• Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Resistance

• Lift, Gravity, Thrust, and Drag

Harry is learning to fly a small aircraft. Basic aircraft control is achieved using primary control surfaces by:

• using ailerons for roll, elevators for pitch, and rudder for yaw.

• using flaps for lift, spoilers for descent, and slats for takeoff.

• using thrust for speed, brakes for stopping, and gears for landing.

• using autopilot for navigation, GPS for location, and radar for weather.

Rohan is learning about aircraft stability and control. He wants to understand:

• the ability to maintain a steady flight path without pilot intervention.

• the capacity to perform complex aerobatic maneuvers.

• the skill of the pilot in handling the aircraft.

• the speed at which an aircraft can travel.

Ava and Neha are learning about airplanes in their science class. Their teacher explains that the purpose and operation of a range of secondary control surfaces is to:

• provide additional lift during takeoff and landing

• control the aircraft's primary flight direction

• reduce the aircraft's weight

• increase the aircraft's speed

Amelia and Ava are studying different types of airflows around an airplane. They learn about streamline, laminar and turbulent flow, free stream flow, up and down wash, vortices, and compressibility effects at higher subsonic speeds. Which of the following is NOT a type of flow or effect associated with aerodynamics?

• Streamline flow

• Laminar flow

• Turbulent flow

• Photosynthesis

Amelia is studying the effects of viscosity and the boundary layer on airflow over an airplane wing. What are the effects she should consider? Include resistance to motion, velocity gradient, shear rate, boundary layer separation (transition point, separation point).

• Viscosity and boundary layer affect airflow by increasing resistance to motion, creating a velocity gradient, influencing shear rate, and causing boundary layer separation at transition and separation points.

• Viscosity and boundary layer have no effect on airflow.

• Viscosity and boundary layer only affect the temperature of the airflow.

• Viscosity and boundary layer only affect the color of the airflow.

Poppy is learning to fly a small aircraft and is curious about how an aerofoil stalls. Explain how an aerofoil stalls and the effect a stall has on an aircraft in flight. Include aerofoil profile, camber, upper, lower and mean camber lines, chord line, leading and trailing edge, thickness to chord ratio or fineness ratio, angle of attack (AOA), angle of incidence (AOI), symmetrical and cambered aerofoils.

• An aerofoil stalls when the angle of attack exceeds a critical angle, causing a sudden decrease in lift and increase in drag.

• An aerofoil stalls when the angle of incidence is reduced to zero, causing a sudden increase in lift and decrease in drag.

• An aerofoil stalls when the thickness to chord ratio is maximized, causing a gradual increase in lift and drag.

• An aerofoil stalls when the camber is minimized, causing a gradual decrease in lift and drag.

Evie is learning about aviation and wants to understand which factors affect lift in an aircraft. She is considering aerofoil shape, lift coefficient, angle of attack, air density, airspeed, and stall. Which of these factors should she focus on?

• Aerofoil shape, lift coefficient, angle of attack, air density, airspeed, and stall

• Only aerofoil shape and lift coefficient

• Only air density and airspeed

• Only angle of attack and stall