Can anyone explain to me how much resistance water creates while swimming? Is there a equivalent in pounds? or is there another way it is measured? If found a site that explains fluid dynamics, but I'm looking for a simpler explanation.
Can anyone explain to me how much resistance water creates while swimming? Is there a equivalent in pounds? or is there another way it is measured?
Yes, it can be measured in pounds. The drag created by the swimmer on the surface is a little tricky because both form and wave drag must be considered. A streamlined swimmer underwater probably produces somewhere around 25 pounds of drag. You can use the equation drag = 1/2 * density * velocity^2 * drag coefficient * frontal area. I assumed a drag coefficient of 0.5, a velocity of 5 ft/sec (this is 50 yards in 30 seconds) and an area of 2 square feet. There will be more drag at the surface because of the addition of wave drag.
Can anyone explain to me how much resistance water creates while swimming? Is there a equivalent in pounds? or is there another way it is measured?
Yes, it can be measured in pounds. The drag created by the swimmer on the surface is a little tricky because both form and wave drag must be considered. A streamlined swimmer underwater probably produces somewhere around 25 pounds of drag. You can use the equation drag = 1/2 * density * velocity^2 * drag coefficient * frontal area. I assumed a drag coefficient of 0.5, a velocity of 5 ft/sec (this is 50 yards in 30 seconds) and an area of 2 square feet. There will be more drag at the surface because of the addition of wave drag.
