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Aerodynamics

What is Aerodynamics?
Aerodynamics is a Greek-derived word that comes from aerios and dynamis.
This literally means concerning the air and force. Aerodynamics is the study of
forces and the resulting motion of objects through air. Aerodynamics has been
around for a very long time judging by the story of Daedalus and Icarus.
How is it applied to F1 cars?
1. Wings,
First appeared in the 1960s. F1 cars create downforce. Wings hold the car
onto the track when cornering. The angle of the front and back wings can be
adjusted.
2. Ground effect forces were able to extract air from beneath the car,
creating an area of low pressure that sucks the entire vehicle downward.
In nowadays cars, the bottom must be flat from the nose cone to the rear
axle line.
3. Spoilers/endplates help when getting air to move. Endplates are small
areas at the edge of the front wings. They help grab the air and direct it
along the side of the car.
4. Bargeboards are located just behind the front wheels and pick up air from
the endplates, accelerating it to create more downforce.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/autoracing/motorsports/formula-one3.htm

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