Drag coefficient: Difference between revisions

From Glossary of Meteorology
imported>Perlwikibot
(Created page with " {{TermHeader}} {{TermSearch}} <div class="termentry"> <div class="term"> == drag coefficient == </div> <div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">A dimensio...")
 
imported>Perlwikibot
No edit summary
 
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
Line 9: Line 9:
   </div>
   </div>


<div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">A dimensionless ratio of the component of force parallel to the direction of flow  ([[drag]]) exerted on a body by a fluid to the [[kinetic energy]] of the fluid multiplied by a characteristic  surface area of the body.</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">In symbols, the drag coefficient ''C''<sub>''D''</sub> is  <div class="display-formula"><blockquote>[[File:ams2001glos-De46.gif|link=|center|ams2001glos-De46]]</blockquote></div> where &#x003c1; is the fluid [[density]], ''U'' the speed, and ''L'' a [[characteristic length]] of the body. [[Rayleigh's  formula]] expresses the drag coefficient as proportional to a power of the [[Reynolds number]] (Re),  <div class="display-formula"><blockquote>[[File:ams2001glos-De47.gif|link=|center|ams2001glos-De47]]</blockquote></div> For [[Couette flow]], ''n'' = &minus;1 and the constant is 2. In most [[aerodynamic]] experiments ''n'' lies between  &minus;1/4 and &minus;1/2. The drag coefficient for the force exerted by the [[atmosphere]] on the earth is  called the [[skin-friction coefficient]].</div><br/> </div>
<div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">A dimensionless ratio of the component of force parallel to the direction of flow  ([[drag]]) exerted on a body by a fluid to the [[kinetic energy]] of the fluid multiplied by a characteristic  surface area of the body.</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">In symbols, the drag coefficient ''C''<sub>''D''</sub> is  <div class="display-formula"><blockquote>[[File:ams2001glos-De46.gif|link=|center|ams2001glos-De46]]</blockquote></div> where &#x003c1; is the fluid [[density]], ''U'' the speed, and ''L'' a [[characteristic length]] of the body. [[Rayleigh's formula|Rayleigh's  formula]] expresses the drag coefficient as proportional to a power of the [[Reynolds number]] (Re),  <div class="display-formula"><blockquote>[[File:ams2001glos-De47.gif|link=|center|ams2001glos-De47]]</blockquote></div> For [[Couette flow]], ''n'' = -1 and the constant is 2. In most [[aerodynamic]] experiments ''n'' lies between  -1/4 and -1/2. The drag coefficient for the force exerted by the [[atmosphere]] on the earth is  called the [[skin-friction coefficient]].</div><br/> </div>
</div>
</div>



Latest revision as of 15:50, 25 April 2012



drag coefficient

A dimensionless ratio of the component of force parallel to the direction of flow (drag) exerted on a body by a fluid to the kinetic energy of the fluid multiplied by a characteristic surface area of the body.

In symbols, the drag coefficient CD is
ams2001glos-De46
where ρ is the fluid density, U the speed, and L a characteristic length of the body. Rayleigh's formula expresses the drag coefficient as proportional to a power of the Reynolds number (Re),
ams2001glos-De47
For Couette flow, n = -1 and the constant is 2. In most aerodynamic experiments n lies between -1/4 and -1/2. The drag coefficient for the force exerted by the atmosphere on the earth is called the skin-friction coefficient.


Copyright 2024 American Meteorological Society (AMS). For permission to reuse any portion of this work, please contact permissions@ametsoc.org. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S. Code § 107) or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S.Copyright Act (17 USC § 108) does not require AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, require written permission or a license from AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement.