Which gives a plane more lift - hot or cold air?

Answer 1

If you're talking about flying through hot air or cold air; cold air will produce more lift. This is because cold air is denser, therefore the engines will produce more thrust, which means more speed, and the wings will generate more lift in denser air as well.

Answer 2

The equation for lift is:

Lift = 0.5 * air density * velocity ^ 2 * wing area * lift coefficient

If the temperature of a gas decreases, its density increases. If the density of the air is increased, and all other terms in the above equation are held constant, then the lift will increase.

Answer 3

Although cold air is denser and gives more lift etc., the hot air in the atmosphere rises and it is this rising effect that gives planes and gliders more lift. The cold denser air falls and results in the airplane or glider to tend to fall with it.

The nett effect while you are already flying is for warm air to give more lift.

When you are taking off however, cold air will give more lift since it is denser and supports the aircraft better.

Answer 4

Cold air gives more lift it also gives the engines more power as it is denser. However when flying high the thinner atmosphere means less resistance. In the war an aeroplane fully loaded could not fly at the same height as one that had dropped its bombs.

Answer 5

the air has nothing to do with the lift only the thrust.the lift is provided by the aerodynamics of the aircraft.the engines only produce the thrust to enable the aerodynamics to work.

Answer 6

cold, airplanes need far shorter runways to lift off in cold than warm

Answer 7

cold