What is the lift force exerted by the air on the rotors?

In summary, a helicopter with a mass of 6520 kg is accelerating upwards at a rate of 0.57 m/s2 while lifting a car with a mass of 1190 kg. To find the lift force exerted by the air on the rotors, we can use Newton's Second Law and solve for the force needed to accelerate both masses. For the tension in the cable connecting the car to the helicopter, we can also use Newton's Second Law but only consider the mass of the car. The calculated values should be 4394.7 N for the lift force and 3716.4 N for the tension in the cable.
  • #1
thschica
47
0
A 6520 kg helicopter accelerates upward at 0.57 m/s2 while lifting a 1190 kg car.
(a) What is the lift force exerted by the air on the rotors?
_________ N
(b) What is the tension in the cable (ignore its mass) that connects the car to the helicopter?
_____N

I have no idea how to do this and it is going to be on my mid-term.
Can someone please help me because I keep getting very strange numbers.
I used a kinetics equation but the answer was wrong!
 
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  • #2
Use Newtons second law: F=ma.
For (a) find out how much force is needed to accelerate both of the masses. The tension only accelerates the car.
 
  • #3
If you apply Newton's Second Law to part (a) you can find the answer relatively easily; for the M value, just make sure you use the composite mass. You know a, as it's given in the question, so F can easily be solved. I think for part (b) you can just use Newton's Second Law, but remember the only mass involved is that of the suspended car. The acceleration should remain the same though...
 
  • #4
should a) be 4394.7
and b) be 3716.4
 

Related to What is the lift force exerted by the air on the rotors?

1. What is lift force?

Lift force is a type of aerodynamic force that acts on objects moving through a fluid (such as air). It is perpendicular to the direction of motion and is responsible for keeping an object aloft or in the air.

2. How is lift force created?

Lift force is created by the difference in air pressure above and below an object (such as a rotor). When air flows over a curved surface, it creates an area of low pressure on the curved side and an area of high pressure on the flat side. This pressure difference creates lift force.

3. What factors affect the lift force on rotors?

The lift force on rotors is affected by the shape and size of the rotor blades, the speed of rotation, the angle of attack (the angle at which the blades meet the air), and the air density. Other factors, such as airfoil design and surface roughness, can also have an impact.

4. How does the lift force on rotors differ from other types of lift force?

The lift force on rotors is different from other types of lift force (such as that on airplane wings) because it is generated by rotating objects rather than stationary ones. The rotational motion of the rotors creates a difference in air pressure, which then creates lift force.

5. How is the lift force on rotors measured?

The lift force on rotors can be measured using various techniques, such as wind tunnel testing or computational fluid dynamics simulations. In some cases, strain gauges or load cells may be used to directly measure the force on the rotor blades. The lift force can also be calculated using mathematical equations and aerodynamic principles.

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