Knowledge Atlas

Matter & Energy · Depth 4 · Introductory · 1 min read

Aerodynamics

The study of forces on objects moving through air, and the motion they cause. It explains what holds a plane up and what slows it down.

Evidence Level 1 · EstablishedOpen on the mapAlso part of Aerospace Engineering
On this page
  1. What is it?
  2. The two aerodynamic forces
  3. Two rules of thumb
  4. Try it yourself
  5. Real-life examples
  6. Evidence & sources

What is it?

Aerodynamics is the study of forces and the resulting motion of objects through the air.[1] Air is a fluid, so aerodynamics is a branch of fluid mechanics. It’s also the science at the heart of flight.

The two aerodynamic forces

For an airplane, aerodynamics is mostly about two forces that come from the air itself:

  • Lift acts at right angles to the flow and holds the plane up against its weight.[2]
  • Drag acts against the motion and holds the plane back.[3]

Together with weight (from gravity) and thrust (from the engines), they make up the four forces of flight.[4]

Two rules of thumb

Lift and drag both need two things: a fluid, and motion between the object and that fluid. No air, no lift. No movement, no lift.[2, 3] That’s why a spacecraft in orbit doesn’t rely on wings: out there, orbital motion does the work instead of lift.[2]

Try it yourself

NASA’s free airfoil simulators let you change a wing’s shape, angle and speed and watch lift and drag respond. You’ll find them in the resources below.

Real-life examples

  • Gliders

    Gliders fly with no engine at all, using only aerodynamic lift.[4]

  • Spacecraft in orbit

    Without air there's no lift, so a spacecraft in orbit relies on orbital motion rather than wings.[2]

  • Winglets

    The upturned tips on many airliner wings are an aerodynamic fix: they reduce drag.[5]

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Evidence & sources

Level 1 · Established

Supported by extensive evidence and broad scientific consensus.

Why this level? The basic aerodynamic forces, lift and drag, are well-established physics, described here from NASA's Glenn Research Center.

This is a Knowledge Atlas editorial classification of the sources we could find, not a certificate of truth. How we evaluate knowledge

Sources

Based on 5 sources from 1 institution: NASA.

Show all 5 sourcesHide the list
  1. AuthoritativeNational Aeronautics and Space Administration· Government agencyGuide to AerodynamicsOpened and checked against this page on 28 Sept 2026
  2. AuthoritativeNational Aeronautics and Space Administration· Government agencyWhat is Lift?Opened and checked against this page on 28 Sept 2026
  3. AuthoritativeNational Aeronautics and Space Administration· Government agencyWhat is Drag?Opened and checked against this page on 28 Sept 2026
  4. AuthoritativeNational Aeronautics and Space Administration· Government agencyFour Forces on an AirplaneOpened and checked against this page on 28 Sept 2026
  5. AuthoritativeNational Aeronautics and Space Administration· Government agencyAirplane Parts and FunctionOpened and checked against this page on 28 Sept 2026