What is a lift-drag polar?

The curve showing the lift coefficient as function of the drag coefficient.

The curve that indicates the lift and drag coefficients as function of the angle of attack.

The curve that describes the Lift and the Drag forces as function of the angle of attack.

None of the previous three alternatives a, b or c is true.

1 answer

A lift-drag polar is typically defined as the curve that indicates the lift coefficient (Cl) as a function of the drag coefficient (Cd). Therefore, the correct answer is:

The curve showing the lift coefficient as a function of the drag coefficient.

This polar is used in aerodynamics to visualize the relationship between lift and drag for a given airfoil or aircraft, often at various angles of attack.