What is Air drag?

Air drag is when air pushes back on something that’s moving through it, making it slower.

Imagine you're riding your bike really fast, and suddenly you feel like you’re being pulled back by the wind, that’s air drag! It’s like when you try to run through a crowd of people who won’t move out of the way. The more people (or air) there are in front of you, the harder it is to keep going fast.

Think about swimming in a pool. When you swim, the water around you pushes back, that’s like air drag, but with water instead of air. Air is lighter than water, so it doesn’t push as hard, but when something moves really fast through air, it feels like a lot of little hands are holding it back.

Cars and planes are designed to be slim so they don’t feel the air pushing back too much. It’s like wearing a smooth shirt instead of a bumpy sweater, the smooth one lets you move easier through the air!

So next time you’re flying a kite or riding your bike, remember: the air is trying its best to slow you down!