Cars Q&A

Hi,
The aerodynamic shape reduces much of air resistence and also helps to balance the vehicle at highspeeds.Generally the air resistence is cosiderable at speeds above 100KMPH during which vehicle has to overcome that resistence and hence there can be reduction in fuel efficiency by little margin.The detailed analysis of aerodynamics is a vast subject wich contributes for innovation in car body design.

Air is deflected in such by using an aerodynamic object in comparison to a flat cardboard of same length and breadth.
You can yourself experience if you take a flat cardboard and move forwards,you will notice you have to exert more energy as compared to a similar frontal area of a object which has smooth contours (like a round bottomed vessel of same length and breadth not considering the height or depth of the vessel.
It reduces Power for propelling the object in air and hence the average improves and you can go more speed as compared to the flat piece.
I hope I have given a practical example.
Dr P C Rao, (pcrao10@gmail.com) Pune