a What is the drag? Give two examples for a drag force. b How can you reduce the drag on something moving through the air? (2024)

(a) Drag Force. A drag force is the resistance force caused by the motion of a body through a fluid, such as water or air. A drag force acts opposite to the direction of the oncoming flow velocity. The first point of view for the cause of drag is the skin friction. As the solid object moves through the fluid, All the parts of the object come in contact with the fluid. If the surface of the solid is very rough and the fluid is a highly viscous fluid, there will be a huge amount of drag. On the other hand, when a smooth surface and a fluid of low viscosity comes in contact (with the shape being the same), a relatively low drag force is generated.

(b) To reduce the drag on something moving through the air one can:

  • Make it more streamlined,
  • Reduce its speed (very effective)'
  • Reduce its cross-sectional area,
  • Add boundary layer blowing,
  • Suck the boundary layer.
  • Coat it with a low friction layer (Teflon, wax).
  • Go to higher, less dense air,
  • Go to hotter air.

a What is the drag? Give two examples for a drag force. b How can you reduce the drag on something moving through the air? (2024)

FAQs

What is drag force with examples? ›

The force that is exerted on a rigid body moving with respect to a fluid due to the fluid's movement is known as drag force. For instance, drag on a moving ship in the water or drag on a moving plane in the air.

How can you reduce the drag on something moving through air? ›

(b) To reduce the drag on something moving through the air one can:
  1. Make it more streamlined,
  2. Reduce its speed (very effective)'
  3. Reduce its cross-sectional area,
  4. Add boundary layer blowing,
  5. Suck the boundary layer.
  6. Coat it with a low friction layer (Teflon, wax).
  7. Go to higher, less dense air,
  8. Go to hotter air.

What is an example of how drag can be reduced? ›

Smoothing your surface reduces the roughness and irregularities that create turbulence and increase resistance. For example, a smooth metal surface has a lower skin friction drag than a rough wood surface. You can smooth your surface by using polished materials, applying coatings, or removing protrusions.

What is drag and example? ›

For example drag on a ship moving in water or drag on a plane moving in the air. Therefore a drag force is the resistance force caused by the motion of a body through a fluid like water or air. This drag force acts opposite to the direction of the oncoming flow velocity.

How to reduce airplane drag? ›

A: Engineers reduce friction drag by making the airplane more streamlined, the wings narrower, or by using new materials that make the surface more smooth, decreasing the ability for the force of drag to effect it. As the roughness and surface area of the airplane decreases the friction drag will decrease.

What is a real life example of drag? ›

Another interesting force in everyday life is the force of drag on an object when it is moving in a fluid (either a gas or a liquid). You feel the drag force when you move your hand through water. You might also feel it if you move your hand during a strong wind. The faster you move your hand, the harder it is to move.

What is drag how it is reduced? ›

Drag reduction is a physical phenomenon that causes friction to be reduced and fluid flow to be increased. Chemicals that reduce drag are known as drag-reducing agents (DRA). Several polymeric compounds can reduce the wall shear stress of flowing liquids at low concentrations.

What is a drag short answer? ›

Drag is the force that opposes the motion of such a fluid-filled body. Drag force constantly works throughout the opposing directions of flowing fluid. Drag forces are produced when there is any movement in the air, fluid, or indeed any medium.

How do you increase or decrease drag? ›

To increase drag, the plane can have many flaps it can lift vertically, which will help it increase the drag on the airplane, which is useful to help the plane decelerate or roll. To decrease drag, the plane needs to be streamlined, in a tear drop shape, but not so much so as to create too much friction drag.

How do you explain drag force to a child? ›

Drag is a force that acts on an object in the opposite direction than that object is moving. An object must be moving through some kind of fluid for drag to occur. A fluid is a substance in which the particles can move past each other freely.

What are the 4 types of drag? ›

There are several types of drag, as listed below, that act on objects moving through fluids, such as air.
  • Friction drag. Friction drag is due to the movement of the two surfaces or boundaries of the object and air flowing across it.
  • Form drag. ...
  • Interference drag. ...
  • Lift drag. ...
  • Profile drag. ...
  • Wave drag.

What are the 3 drag forces? ›

Types of Drag Force
  • Form Drag—The drag due to the shape of the object moving through the fluid.
  • Skin Friction Drag—The drag due to the roughness of the object's surface.
  • Interference Drag—The drag resulting from two airflows of different speeds meeting and interfering.

What does drag mean as a force? ›

Drag is the force that opposes the motion of such a fluid-filled body. Drag force constantly works throughout the opposing directions of flowing fluid. Drag forces are produced when there is any movement in the air, fluid, or indeed any medium.

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