Drag coefficient

Welcome to Hypography, a forum for science and technology. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

		Science Forums > Help and Advice > Questions and Answers
Drag coefficient

LinkBack

Question Tools

Published by jim0940 09-13-2008

Understanding the various applications that is applied to an aircraft skin, film, etc, what is the conservative formula one uses to figure the drag coefficient?

By modest on 09-14-2008

Re: Drag coefficient

The drag coefficient is a term in the drag force equation:

$F_D = \frac{1}{2} C_D A \rho v^2$

where,

$F_D$ is the drag force in Newtons on a body moving through a medium
$C_D$ is the drag coefficient, a dimensionless number
$A$ is the reference area in $m^2$
$\rho$ is the mass density of the fluid in $kg/m^3$
$v$ the velocity of the medium relative to the body in $m/s$

The drag coefficient is a function of several parameters such as; the shape of the body, the roughness of its surface, the velocity of the body, and the viscosity of the medium.

If the coefficient is known for a given velocity, it is possible to us the body's Reynolds number to approximate the coefficient at different velocities. However, finding the drag coefficient is typically a matter of wind tunnel measurements for unknown bodies and materials, and reference tables for known bodies and materials.

Some typical values are given here.

Bookmarks

Currently Active Users Viewing This Question: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Question Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts BB code is On Smilies are On [IMG] code is On HTML code is Off Trackbacks are On Pingbacks are On Refbacks are On

All times are GMT -8. The time now is 07:59 PM.

Hypography?

Share the love!

Sponsors

Friends