Fluids and Flight - Harnessing Fluid Dynamics in Motion - Lecture 5

Explore how knowledge of fluid dynamics is harnessed to set machines in motion in this 59-minute Christmas Lecture from The Royal Institution. Discover the physical factors governing the motion of real fluids, as opposed to the frictionless fluids of earlier theory, and examine the tremendous progress engineers and scientists have made in understanding fluids in motion. Learn about streamlined and turbulent flows, and investigate the remarkable differences between subsonic and supersonic aerodynamics. Understand how air keeps aeroplanes up and how good design can reduce their drag. See how steam drives the steam turbines that generate electricity, and how gas-turbines propel most large aeroplanes and many ships. Investigate how golfers and cricketers can make good use of aerodynamics in their sports. This lecture, recorded on December 5, 1983, forms part of Leonard Maunder's series on motion and engineering, exploring how our understanding of fluid dynamics continues to grow and how it extends the extraordinary variety of machines created for human use and convenience.