Simple Tech: Aerodynamic drag explained

Aerodynamics is such a vast subject that it would take many, many Simple Techs to explain it fully. But in the simplest of terms, aero refers to air and dynamics, refers to its flow. Aerodynamics, then, is the science of how air flows, in our case, around objects in its path, like a car or a motorcycle. In this context, automotive engineers worry specifically about two interactions between air and our car/motorcycle, drag and downforce.

When a car starts moving, the movement causes friction between the surface of the car and air. This...