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Q:
How has the study of aerodynamics reduced drag forces in different aircraft over time? And what are the environmental and economical benefits/hazards of this?
A:
Scientists who study aerodynamics are constantly trying to find new ways to make aircraft more streamlined. Being streamlined means being able to move through the air (or a fluid, like water) with the least drag possible. Think of things that swim well, like dolphins, since they have a streamlined body shape. Airplanes have that very special shape so that they can fly through the air with the least possible drag. Drag happens when a plane has to fight to make it through the air, so the less fighting it has to do, the easier it will move, and the less fuel it will need to fly. The more aerodynamic a plane is, the better it is for the environment!
Posted on April 27, 2013 at 10:49 am
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