Humans may not be fast enough to run across water, but we’ve found other ways to conquer the waves. It’s even possible (though definitely not recommended) to ride across stretches Keep reading
Tag: lift
Lift Over Wings
One of the most vexing topics for fluid dynamicists and their audiences is the subject of how wings generate lift. As discussed in the video above, there are a number Keep reading
The Flying Draco
Nature includes many animals that are so-called fliers: flying squirrels, flying snakes, and draco lizards, to name a few. These animals aren’t true fliers like birds, bats, or insects, though. Keep reading
Living Fluid Dynamics
This short film for the 2016 Gallery of Fluid Motion features Montana State University students experiencing fluid dynamics in the classroom and in their daily lives. As in her previous Keep reading
Rio 2016: Rugby
The sport of rugby returns to the Olympics in Rio this year. Rugby’s ball is somewhat similar in size and shape to an American football, but it is a little Keep reading
The Knuckleball
For more than a century, athletes have used the zigzagging path of a knuckleball to confound their opponents. Knuckleballing is best known in baseball but appears also in volleyball, soccer, Keep reading
Daily Fluids, Part 2
We play with fluid dynamics all the time, though we don’t always think of it as such. Here are a few ways it shows up in the ways we play: Keep reading
Reader Question: Lift
everyonelikespotatissallad asks: so, how is lift actually generated? i’ve been going through Anderson’s Introduction to Flight (6th Ed.) and while it offers the derivation of various equations very thoroughly, it barely Keep reading
Frisbee Physics
Frisbees are a popular summertime toy, but they involve some pretty neat physics, too. Two key ingredients to their long flight times are their lift generation and spin. A frisbee Keep reading
Reader Question: Winglets
Reader tvargo writes: First off… love your blog! I know very little about physics, but love reading about it. Could you potentially explain what the little upturned ends of wings Keep reading