what the heck is lift?

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 10:51:57 -0400, T o d d P a t t i s t
wrote:

Jimbob wrote:

He is describing the traditional airfoil theory which is correct. It
is the most efficient method as it produces lift with minimal drag.
That's what most people are taught.

There is another mode that is related to the force of the air
impacting on the bottom of the wing at high AOA producing lift as
well.

You make it sound like there are two effects, one that
applies in some cases and one that applies in other cases.
The reality is that both descriptions apply in all cases.
They are alternative descriptions of the same thing, and
both "explain" the effect 100%


You are correct. Both are consequences of Bernoulli.

However, I am trying to explain it to people that may not be versed in
the the conservation of energy in fluids, conservation of momentum and
Newton's #3.

Sometimes it helps to view it from bernoulli some times form Newton.
To the layman, they they don't care. They just have a simple question
they want answered.




Jim

http://www.unconventional-wisdom.org