Fluid mechanics - drag

Question 1

What is fluid mechanics?

Answer 1

Fluid mechanics is the study of fluids (gases and liquids) and how forces affect them

Question 2

What are fluid dynamics?

Answer 2

They are part of fluid mechanics

Question 3

What are fluid dynamics affected by?

Answer 3

Fluid forces

Question 4

What are the 2 fluid forces?

Answer 4

Drag and lift

Question 5

What sports do fluid forces play a massive role in?

Answer 5

Cycling, swimming and sprinting
- They also affect certain projectiles such as balls, discus’s and javelins

Question 6

What is a drag force?

Answer 6

A resistance force which slows a body or object down - it acts in the opposite direction to movement

Question 7

What affect does drag have on velocity?

Answer 7

A negative affect

Question 8

What are the 2 types of drag?

Answer 8

Surface drag (skin drag) and form drag (shape drag)

Question 9

What is surface drag?

Answer 9

Caused by friction when the fluid environment passes over the surface of an object or the body

Question 10

What is form drag?

Answer 10

How the size and shape of an object/body can affect how water/air pass over it

Question 11

What forces increase drag?

Answer 11

Forces that affect the leading edge

Question 12

What forces reduce drag?

Answer 12

Forces that affect the trailing edge

Question 13

What is streamlining?

Answer 13

Altering a body/object so that it passes through the air/water more efficiently

Question 15

What is a slipstream?

Answer 15

A large form drag also offers less turbulent air for anything that follows

Question 16

What are the factors that affect drag?

Answer 16

• The velocity of the moving object
• The cross-sectional area of the moving body
• The shape and surface characteristics of the moving body