The Physics behind Aircraft can be
difficult to understand. There are many things that have
to go right to achieve flight.
In raw categories, there is lift, weight, drag and thrust.
Lift
The component of the airplane that produces lift is the airfoil, which is aircraft lingo for the wing. Airfoils come in many different forms, but the one that has been tried and tested, and found to be the most efficient can be found below.
The idea behind lift is pretty complex. In layman terms, because of the fast air flow over the airfoil and angle attack, the wind against the airfoil pushes more strongly against the bottom of the airfoil then the top, resulting in a high pressure zone under the airfoil, and a low pressure zone on top of the wing. The creates a net force up, which is lift.
Weight
The force of gravity is a force exacted on every object that possesses mass. The equation for Force of Gravity is:
FG = mass * 9.81 m/s^2
Drag
Drag is the main force that aircraft engineers are trying to overcome, while drag is necessary to produce lift on the airfoils, it is also a detrimental force, causing a force that opposes motion. This leads to inefficiencies and higher costs. The equation for drag is as follows:
FD = (1/2) ρ
FD = Force by drag, ρ = density of air, V = velocity of air, CD= coefficient of drag,
and A = cross sectional area.
Thrust
The last main component of flight forces is thrust. Thrust is difficult to calculate. It's magnitude all depends on the source of the thrust. For modern aircraft, the source of thrust are jet turbines. A jet engine functions by sucking in air in the front, and compressing that air, injecting fuel, and igniting the mixture, forcing it out the back of the turbine, causing a net force forward on the engine, therefore a net force forward on the plane overall. Thrust is a perfect example of Newton's Third Law of Motion.
In raw categories, there is lift, weight, drag and thrust.
Lift
The component of the airplane that produces lift is the airfoil, which is aircraft lingo for the wing. Airfoils come in many different forms, but the one that has been tried and tested, and found to be the most efficient can be found below.
The idea behind lift is pretty complex. In layman terms, because of the fast air flow over the airfoil and angle attack, the wind against the airfoil pushes more strongly against the bottom of the airfoil then the top, resulting in a high pressure zone under the airfoil, and a low pressure zone on top of the wing. The creates a net force up, which is lift.
Weight
The force of gravity is a force exacted on every object that possesses mass. The equation for Force of Gravity is:
FG = mass * 9.81 m/s^2
Drag
Drag is the main force that aircraft engineers are trying to overcome, while drag is necessary to produce lift on the airfoils, it is also a detrimental force, causing a force that opposes motion. This leads to inefficiencies and higher costs. The equation for drag is as follows:
FD = (1/2) ρ
FD = Force by drag, ρ = density of air, V = velocity of air, CD= coefficient of drag,
and A = cross sectional area.
Thrust
The last main component of flight forces is thrust. Thrust is difficult to calculate. It's magnitude all depends on the source of the thrust. For modern aircraft, the source of thrust are jet turbines. A jet engine functions by sucking in air in the front, and compressing that air, injecting fuel, and igniting the mixture, forcing it out the back of the turbine, causing a net force forward on the engine, therefore a net force forward on the plane overall. Thrust is a perfect example of Newton's Third Law of Motion.