yego.me
💡 Stop wasting time. Read Youtube instead of watch. Download Chrome Extension

How Does A Wing Actually Work?


2m read
·Nov 10, 2024

Shh... I've snuck into minutephysics' studio to explain how a wing actually works.

Hang on, something doesn't feel right. Ah, that's better.

Now everyone knows that a wing generates lift due to its characteristic shape. Since air travels farther over top of the wing, it must go faster than the air underneath so that both streams meet up simultaneously at the trailing edge. And according to Bernoulli's principle, faster flowing air exerts less pressure than the slower air beneath the wing. This pressure difference creates an upward force -- lift. Job done. Right? Nope.

This simple explanation taught in many textbooks and classrooms has obvious problems. Like how could a plane fly upside down? Some planes, like the Wright brothers' had nearly flat wings. So presumably air would travel the same speed over both sides and there would be no lift. Plus, experiments show that air streams don't meet up at the back of the wing. Air over the top goes significantly faster, reaching the trailing edge first.

So how does a wing actually generate lift? Well, the key is the wing must deflect air downwards. This can be achieved using asymmetric or cambered air foils, or by increasing the angle of attack. Air under the wing is deflected down. And by the Coanda effect, air above the wing is guided along its surface and down as well. Since the air is slowed and deflected down by the wing, it pushes the wing up and back. Lift, and drag. This is in accordance with Newton's Third Law of Motion.

But hang on, if you can explain lift only using the deflection of air and Newton's laws, then the Bernoulli explanation must be completely wrong. Well, no, air over the top of the wing does go faster than air beneath, creating a pressure difference that generates lift. Then this Newtonian explanation is unnecessary rubbish and the original explanation was right! That's not true either.

The original explanation incorrectly assumed that air over and under the wing must reconnect at the trailing edge, and there was no mention of deflecting air down. Each explanation, done correctly, completely accounts for the lift generated by a wing. They're just two different ways of looking at the same thing.

So next time someone brings up the standard misconception, you can tell them that explanation just doesn't fly. And if you liked that, you've gotta check out MinutePhysics. I've got total respect for a guy who does this every week.

Sincerely, a collection of particles known as Derek.

More Articles

View All
2015 AP Calculus BC 5a | AP Calculus BC solved exams | AP Calculus BC | Khan Academy
Consider the function ( f(x) ) is equal to ( \frac{1}{x^2} - Kx ) where ( K ) is a nonzero constant. The derivative of ( f ) is given by, and they give us this expression right over here. It’s nice that they took the derivative for us. Now part A, let ( …
The Future For Cryptocurrencies After Bitcoin Mining Ban
[Music] I want to switch a little bit and talk a little bit about the sort of systematic approach, and you know you being a big part of Shark Tank, and going through a large amount of different pitches and different businesses, looking at the numbers. Is …
Ballet Shoes: The Craft Before the Dance | Short Film Showcase
My name’s Tony Collins of Jim to free data. As a young lad, I arrived on the end of ‘69, 1969. I’ve been here ever since and out the lot of it at the old school from where we originated from Leicester Square. This is about three of us left in the firm sti…
The Future of Cyberwarfare | Origins: The Journey of Humankind
NARRATOR: September 11, 2001, terror strikes set the tone for warfare in the 21st century. But the 21st century has also seen the rise of another kind of warfare— warfare that lets nations and loners do battle without guns or bombs. These days, the bigges…
How I made my life a video game
(Piano music) - So I’ve talked on this channel before about how I think there are a lot of parallels between video games and real life. In a video game, as your character progresses through the game and you upgrade your stats and make more money, you’re a…
Every Animal Deserves a Story | Explorer's Fest
[Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Ah, this might be the most exciting part of the entire day! I have to say that for many of you, you’re probably here for this highlight. And of course, I was taken out backstage and accosted our next speaker to …