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2024-11-11

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Do recent explanations solve the mysteries of aerodynamic lift? (www.scientificamerican.com)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by workerONE to c/science

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Wing diverts air down

Newton's 3rd law means wing goes up

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

That is not, in fact, how aerodynamic lift works.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Sure it is.

[–] disguy_ovahea 0 points 4 months ago (1 children)

It’s really not. The longer travel of the air over the top of the wing creates an area of lower pressure than the air flowing under the wing, effectively “pushing” the wing upward.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

That is true, yes. The shape of the wing creates a pressure gradient, causing the wing to lift up and deflect the air down. Newton's law requires an equal and opposite force.

This spoon in the sink illustration really shows this:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=6H6EP-AmMFM&t=490