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What Happens to the Angle for L/D Max as Altitude Changes?

a) Increases
b) Decreases
c) Remains constant
d) Varies unpredictably

1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

The angle for L/D Max is a characteristic of an aircraft's airfoil design and does not change solely due to altitude, implying that it remains constant.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question is related to the effect of altitude on the angle for L/D Max, which in the context of aerodynamics, refers to the angle at which the ratio of lift to drag for an aircraft is maximized. However, without specific context, the question is ambiguous since it can relate to different principles depending on the context, such as conservation of momentum or angular velocity. Given the potential physics context, I'd like to clarify that with increased altitude and a thinner atmosphere, the air density decreases causing the aircraft's lift to decrease unless countered by an increase in speed or angle of attack. However, the specific angle for L/D Max does not change solely due to altitude because it is a characteristic of the airfoil's aerodynamic properties, not solely the aircraft's operational environment. Therefore, the answer to the student's question could be understood as (c) Remains constant, based on the understanding that the aircraft's design determines this angle rather than the altitude itself. Given that the rest of the reference material doesn't specifically pertain to this topic, I'd need to ignore it to maintain accuracy.

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