Quote:
Originally Posted by JayG
it does not produce down force, it reduces lift
It is basic aerodynamics.
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Not to quibble, but I used the term down-force, thinking that it would be more proper on a car forum than the aerodynamic term I would use at work, 'negative lift'.
Negative lift: An aerodynamic downward force created by any airfoil. /or/ The downward component (vector) of lift, relative to the body acted on by the airfoil.
Downforce (from Wikipedia) is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip.
There are other things we can call it too. I don't fault you far saying "it reduces lift", as that is one way to look at its effect on total force.