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Camber is a complex property that can be more fully characterized by an airfoil's camber line, the curve Z(x) that is halfway between the upper and lower surfaces, and thickness function T(x), which describes the thickness of the airfoils at any given point. The upper and lower surfaces can be defined as follows:
In fluid dynamics, angle of attack (AOA, α, or ) is the angle between a reference line on a body (often the chord line of an airfoil) and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is moving. [1] Angle of attack is the angle between the body's reference line and the oncoming flow.
Streamlines around a NACA 0012 airfoil at moderate angle of attack. A foil generates lift primarily because of its shape and angle of attack. When oriented at a suitable angle, the foil deflects the oncoming fluid, resulting in a force on the foil in the direction opposite to the deflection. This force can be resolved into two components: lift ...
L: a single digit representing the theoretical optimal lift coefficient at ideal angle of attack C LI = 0.15 L (this is not the same as the lift coefficient C L), P: a single digit for the x coordinate of the point of maximum camber (max. camber at x = 0.05 P), S: a single digit indicating whether the camber is simple (S = 0) or reflex (S = 1),
Most foil shapes require a positive angle of attack to generate lift, but cambered airfoils can generate lift at zero angle of attack. Airfoils can be designed for use at different speeds by modifying their geometry: those for subsonic flight generally have a rounded leading edge , while those designed for supersonic flight tend to be slimmer ...
The aerodynamic center is the point at which the pitching moment coefficient for the airfoil does not vary with lift coefficient (i.e. angle of attack), making analysis simpler. [ 1 ] d C m d C L = 0 {\displaystyle {dC_{m} \over dC_{L}}=0} where C L {\displaystyle C_{L}} is the aircraft lift coefficient .
For this reason, on a cambered aerofoil the zero-lift line is better than the chord line when describing the angle of attack. [2] When symmetric aerofoils are moving parallel to the chord line of the aerofoil, zero lift is generated. However, when cambered aerofoils are moving parallel to the chord line, lift is generated. (See diagram at right.)
In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack exceeds its critical value. [1] The critical angle of attack is typically about 15°, but it may vary significantly depending on the fluid, foil – including its shape, size, and finish – and Reynolds number.