Link to Internet Access Research Link to Aeronautic Educational Resources Link to Educator Resources Link to Icing Research Tunnel Link to Glenn Learning Technologies Project Homepage
Link to EngineSim Problem Sets Link to RocketModeler Link to FoilSim General Information Link to Propulsion Problem Sets Link to EngineSim General Information Link to Aeronautics Lessons & Activites Link to Wind Tunnel Web Pages Link to Aeronauts 2000 Link to FoilSim Problem Sets Link to Propulsion General Information Link to Aerodynamics Problem Sets Link to Aerodynamics General Information Link to Free Software Link to Beginner's Guide to Aeronautics Link to Videoconferences With the U.K.

Area Under A Curve Answers

Answers will vary. Actual answers will depend upon the altitudes chosen by the students. With all students' answers, a trend should emerge.

Students should note that the basic shape seems to be retained in the Airfoil Plotter View Panel. However, the pressure values shown along the y-axis change as the altitude is altered. Therefore, if the five views are sketched on the same piece of graph paper, each basic shape should become "thinner." The resulting area of the basic shape should decrease as the altitude is increased, i.e., the pressure decreases as the altitude increases. As the altitude increases, the density of the air decreases and the lift on the airfoil decreases. This explains why an aircraft has a flight "ceiling", a maximum altitude at which it can fly. Above the ceiling, the lift is too small to overcome the weight.