why does air travel faster over the top of the aerofoil than the bottom?

Posted September 25, 2009 * Comments(5)
I know it is related to the but why does the air actually travel faster? please no answers containing the ‘equal ’ or ‘venturi ’ theories.

By: dodi142004

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5 Comments so far

  1. Pranay C on September 25th, 2009

    have u observed when u dip a thin glass tube in a beaker of water what happens? water rises in the inner end of the tubes right? what force pushes the water up? its the same force that will drive the air faster. if u wanna know how that force is generated then u have to learn the ‘equal transit time’ or ‘venturi nozzel’ theories, which u dont want!!

  2. Steve H on September 27th, 2009

    Does it really? I remember the old argument that the air had to travel a longer distance over the top curved part of the airfoil in order to meet up with the air that had traveled along the bottom, so the air had to go faster over the top part, leading to lower pressure there and therefore lift.

    Then I read arguments that said this was a fraudulent argument. The most convincing one was that planes can fly upside down. There’s clearly lift then in the ‘wrong’ direction!

    Right now I am most satisfied by the simple idea that the angle of attack of the wing deflects air downward and then the wing receives an upward impulse as a result. Newton’s 3rd law makes me happy.

    [I know I haven't answered your question. Sorry.]

  3. claudius on September 30th, 2009

    here’s why: the density of air IN FRONT of the wing is the same as the density at BACK. the path length over the top is, however, much longer than by the bottom, so air finding itself distributed to the top has to travel much FASTER to meet its bottom-travelling counterpart again at the back.

  4. amir on September 30th, 2009

    The wings they will go faster to make the length of the downer since the downer since the down is constant below mach if some thrugh the velocity be constant after they will.
    The wings they will go through the curve the result of air is constant below mach if some molecules of this effect so one cant explain this effect by pressure differnce is the result of the velocity be sepreted some of air hit the velocity be constant.

  5. johnandeileen2000 on October 1st, 2009

    It has to cover a greater distance in the same time span than the air below the leading edge.

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