Plain English Meaning

The study of how air behaves around a moving object, and how that air creates the forces that let an airplane fly and be controlled.

Full Definition

The branch of physics that studies the motion of air and the forces produced when a solid object, such as an airplane, moves through it. In aviation, aerodynamics explains how lift, weight, thrust, and drag interact to make controlled flight possible.

Context Anchor

You will see this term when learning why an airplane flies, how the wings work, and how control inputs change the airplane’s motion.

Derivation

From the Greek 'aero' (air) and 'dynamics' (forces in motion). So literally, 'the forces of air in motion.' That is exactly what a pilot is working with every time the airplane moves.