Question

In high speed aircraft, sweepback design is utilized to:

A) enhance fuel efficiency
B) decrease lift
C) improve stability
D) increase critical Mach number

Answer 1

In high-speed aircraft, sweepback design is primarily used to increase the critical Mach number, allowing aircraft to fly faster before aerodynamic issues such as shock waves become a significant problem.

Step-by-step explanation:

In high-speed aircraft, sweepback design is utilized primarily to increase the critical Mach number. When an aircraft approaches the speed of sound, the aerodynamics around the wings changes significantly due to the onset of shock waves. These can cause a sudden increase in drag and can impact the controllability of the aircraft. Sweepback design helps in delaying the onset of these effects, essentially allowing the aircraft to fly faster before shock waves become a problem.

Aerodynamic shaping, whether in aviation or automotive design, aims to reduce drag forces to improve efficiency and performance. For automobiles, better aerodynamics can increase gas mileage, just as improved aerodynamics in aircraft design can lead to more efficient flight dynamics. In the context of this question, design elements such as sweepback may contribute to fuel efficiency indirectly, but that is not their primary function. Sweepback is not primarily intended to decrease lift or improve stability, although it may affect these characteristics as a side effect of the changes in aerodynamic flow.

Answer 2

Sweepback design in high-speed aircraft helps to increase the critical Mach number, allowing the aircraft to fly at higher speeds without encountering issues such as a drop in lift and increased drag. The correct answer is D).

Step-by-step explanation:

In high speed aircraft, sweepback design is utilized to D) increase critical Mach number.

Sweepback refers to the backward inclination of an aircraft's wing from its root to its tip. This design feature helps to delay the onset of shockwaves and increase the critical Mach number of the aircraft. The critical Mach number is the speed at which airflow over the wing reaches supersonic speeds, causing a drop in lift and increased drag. By increasing the critical Mach number, sweepback design allows the aircraft to fly at higher speeds without encountering these issues.