Parasite Drag Aerodynamics Study Questions (v1)

Parasite Drag Aerodynamics Lesson Plan

skin friction drag and boundary layers
form drag
other parasite drag

1. *List the two major parasite drag types. skin friction, and wake/form drag

2. *List four other parasite drag types.

interference, cooling, leakage, and compressibility
Skin friction drag and boundary layers top

3. *The air resistance due to viscosity as it passes along the surface of an aircraft is called
a. form drag
b. profile drag
c. interference drag
d.
0 skin friction drag

4. Air in the boundary layer

a. has near zero velocity at the wing surface
b. has freestream velocity at the boundary layer top
c. has layers of air at different velocity which produce shearing forces and
skin friction drag
d.
0 all of the above

5. T F0 The dimples in a golf ball are designed to produce a turbulent boundary layer and
thus reduce skin friction drag.

6. List two characteristics of a turbulent boundary layer and two characteristics of a

laminar boundary layer.
laminar= less thick turbulent= thicker
lower velocity profiles high velocity profile
smaller skin friction larger skin friction comp

7. *Which type of boundary layer (laminar or turbulent) is associated with high skin
friction drag? Why?
turbulent has a higher skin friction this is because of the higher
velocities found within this layer which in turn produces more kinetic
energy which attracts to the surface

18 Parasite Drag Aerodynamics Study 1

Questions.doc 9/8/2010 5:09 PM
8. *Which of the following are true regarding boundary layers and skin friction drag.
a. Turbulent boundary layers generally reduce skin friction drag.
b. Laminar boundary layers generally reduce skin friction drag.
c. Laminar boundary layers are thicker (more layers of "cushioning air") than
turbulent boundary layers and this helps account for the reduction in skin
friction drag.
d. Turbulent boundary layers are thicker (more layers for viscous/friction effects
to act) and this helps account for the increased skin friction drag.
e. a and c.
f.
0 b and d.

9. Which of the following are true with regard to a laminar flow wing such as the NACA
631- 412 or the NACA 652-415 found on the Piper Cadet and Arrow? Circle all correct
statements. (See ANA fig. 1.25.)
a. the boundary layer is laminar along the entire length of the upper surface of
the wing.
b.
0 the boundary layer is laminar only on the leading half (or less) of the
_______________________________________________
upper surface of the wing.
____________
c. skin friction drag is reduced across a broad range of angle of attacks called
the "drag bucket".
d.
0 skin friction drag is reduced in a small range of angle of attacks called the
____________________________________________________
"drag bucket".
______
10. Which of the following are true with regard to a laminar flow wing such as the NACA
631-412 or the NACA 652-415 found on the Piper Cadet and Arrow? Reference ANA fig.
1.25. Circle all correct statements.
a. The boundary layer is laminar along the entire length of the upper surface of
the wing.
b.
0 The boundary layer is laminar only on the leading half (or less) of the
upper surface of the wing.
c. Skin friction drag is reduced across a broad range of angle of attacks called
the "drag bucket".
d.
0 Skin friction drag is reduced in a small range of angle of attacks called the
"drag bucket".

11. T 0
F The dimples in a golf ball are designed to produce a turbulent boundary layer
and thus reduce skin friction drag.

12. List two characteristics of a turbulent boundary layer and two characteristics of a
laminar boundary layer related to skin friction drag. (Refer to ANA fig. 1.24.)
Turbulent= thicker laminar= thinner
higher skin friction lower skin friction
sharp velocity cha gradual velocity change
13. Which type of boundary layer (laminar or turbulent) is associated with high skin
friction drag? turbulent
Why? boundary layer this is because of the higher velocities found
within this layer which in turn produces more kinetic energy which
attracts to the surface.

Form drag top

14. *Which of the following are true regarding boundary layers and form or wake drag.
Circle all correct statements.
0a. Turbulent boundary layers help reduce form drag.
b. Laminar boundary layers help reduce form drag.
c. Laminar boundary layers are thicker (more layers of "cushioning air") than
turbulent boundary layers and this helps account for the reduction in form
0 drag.
d. Turbulent boundary layers are thicker and have a velocity profile that tends to
energize and mix layers of air to improve the boundary layer's ability to
overcome the adverse pressure gradient and this helps account for the decrease in
form drag.

15. Which type boundary

turbulent of boundarylayer
layer lower
is associated
form with
dragdelayed airflow separation
by maintaining flow onand
the surface by
lower form drag? Why?
increasing kinetic energy and velocity therefore delaying separation

0
16. T F Streamlining an airplane reduces its wake and reduces form drag.

17. *Airflow separation can be delayed and form drag reduced by

a. streamlining
b.
0 using vortex generators
c. directing high energy air to the top of a wing or flap through slots
d. all of the above

Other parasite drag top

18. Leakage drag is caused by air from inside the cabin escaping through door and window
seals, interfering with the boundary layer, reducing airflow momentum, and increasing
parasite drag. Why is the static pressure inside the cabin greater than the freestream
since there is close to zero velocity inside the fuselage it may just cause
static pressure just outside the cabin (unpressurized aircraft).
the inside of the aircraft to be a greater pressure than the outside.
19. *Explain leakage drag. (The correct answer must first explain why the air wants to
leak out of the cabin then explain how the leaking air causes drag.)
The air wants to leak out or the cabin due to Bernoulli's principle and the
interior of the aircraft having high pressure and low pressure around the outside
therefore the high pressure wants to go out to the low pressure. once its going
outside the wind traveling outside will be impacting the wind coming over the
aircraft therefore lowering the momentum of the aircraft.
20. *What parasite drag type is associated with the mnemonic “2+2=5”. Explain why?
What design feature(s) helps reduce this type drag?
interference drag because each aircraft section has less drag than all the
sections put together. It can be reduced by adding fillets or fairings to provide a
smoother transition.

21. *Explain the term cooling drag.

air going through engines for cooling which decreases the momentum of the
aircraft which in turn reduces the velocity. the smaller the hole for cooling in
newer cowls reduce this drag
22. *What is compressibility drag?
when and airfoil gets to the speed of sound and a shock wave occurs causing momentum to be decreased
23. Match the appropriate letter with each applicable statement.

a. form drag
b. wake drag
c. skin friction drag
d. interference drag
e. cooling drag
f. leakage drag
g. compressibility drag

c reduced by a laminar flow wing that produces a characteristic “drag bucket”

a reduced by streamlining
c reduced by a laminar boundary layer
b same as form drag
d the whole is greater than the sum of the parts
g usually only a factor above 0.75 Mach
d reduced with fairings and fillets
g caused by normal shock waves
f caused by air coming out of the aircraft structure perpendicular to the
airstream causing the airstream and boundary layer to slow down or lose
e momentum.
caused by airflow momentum loss through the engine compartment