Aerodynamics, from
Greek ἀήρ
aer (air) + δυναμική (dynamics), is a branch of
fluid dynamics concerned with studying the motion of
air, particularly when it interacts with a solid object, such as an
airplane wing. Aerodynamics is a sub-field of
fluid dynamics and
gas dynamics, and many aspects of aerodynamics theory are common to these fields. The term
aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with the difference being that "gas dynamics" applies to the study of the motion of all gases, not limited to air.