Mechanical Engineering · Fluids and flight / Principles and inquiry
Airfoil lift experiment guide
Change attack angle and wind to observe lift curves and stall.
How does it work?
Beyond stall the lift coefficient decreases; at a fixed angle lift scales with speed squared.
Key relationship
L = ½ρv²SCL · CL = 2πα (|α| ≤ 15°)
Try this investigation
- Change attack angle and wind to observe lift curves and stall.
- Run and record each of the three reference settings.
- Change one variable and compare force, deformation or response with the reference records.
Interpreting your results
How does the lift coefficient change beyond stall?
It decreases · Beyond stall the lift coefficient decreases; at a fixed angle lift scales with speed squared.
Assumptions and limitations
An educational symmetric-airfoil coefficient decays exponentially after 15°. Streamlines illustrate direction. CFD, drag, compressibility and wing-tip effects are omitted.