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Q:

How do states of matter affect drag?

A:

An example of a solid affected by drag is an airplane passing through the air. Drag creates friction which slows down the airplane. An example of a liquid subject to drag would be a rain drop.  As a raindrop falls its shape looks like the top half of a hamburger bun. It is flattened on the bottom and has a curved top. This is because a liquid has a definite volume but no definite shape so the force of drag causes the raindrop to change its shape as well as slow down like the airplane. Any force applied to matter in a gaseous state would only cause it to disperse because gas has no definite shape or volume therefore drag cannot really act on a gas.  

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