Importance Of Aerodynamics

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Aerodynamics is the study of forces and properties of moving through the air. Aerodynamics is one of the most important objects of study because they provide the bases for flight and the designing of not only aircraft, but also cars, spacecraft, and buildings. Aerodynamics work through the combination of three forces, thrust, lift, drag, and weight. In 350 B.C., Aristotle devised the idea that air has weight and he examined that an object moving through a fluid experiences resistance, or drag. Drag is the force of air opposition propelling in the reverse direction of an aircraft. One hundred years later in 250 B.C., Archimedes observed that the pressure of an object that is immersed in a fluid, in either gas or liquid form, is proportional …show more content…

The study of aerodynamics has influenced air travel, military aircraft, and space exploration. Technological and scientific advancements in the field of aerodynamics continue to shape many aspects of our lives. When traveling on an airplane, the speed of the flight, the time that it takes to get to your destination, the price of your ticket, and the efficiency of the flight are all affected by the aerodynamics of an aircraft. The more aerodynamic that an airplane is, the quicker that it will move through the air. This also influences the price of a ticket because the airline will use less fuel, make more flights, and will cause the airline to make more money. If an aircraft is more aerodynamic, it will be more efficient because the aircraft 's use of gas will be minimized and it will be quicker. Aircraft are used regularly in the military. Military aircraft must be efficient beyond the aspects of commercial airlines and aircraft. This is because military aircraft have a much different purpose than passenger aircraft. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the military 's budget is $649.1 billion. The military must make the most out of this enormous amount of funding (https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1190216/dod-releases-fiscal-year-2018-budget-proposal/). Aerodynamics is a large part of space exploration. The thrust and lift of a rocket must be immense in order to take a spacecraft out of the atmosphere. The space shuttle, for example, weighed at least 6.5 million pounds. The majority of this weight was the fuel (http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/ask/268-How-much-did-the-Space-Shuttle-weigh-). The massive amount of thrust that is necessary to even lift the rocket off of the ground is impressive. Aerodynamics are still being improved allowing for more advanced and productive air travel. Technological advancements will help us to understand flight and how to make air and spacecraft more efficient. As scientific