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How does wind cause a wind turbine (pictured) to spin? I cant find a good source on google to explain this to me. This question should help me understand better how a turbine is spun in a jet engine.

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Ethan
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  • Instead of Googling something like "How does a wind turbine spin" look up "how do propellers work". It is important to note that while a jet turbine has similarities to a propeller engine, they are completely different in their operation. – CoilKid Oct 06 '15 at 18:56
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    It is very unclear to me what kind of answer you expect. Do you want to know about change of momentum of a moving element of a continuous fluid with the mathematical expression for vector direction and mass elements? I suspect that is not what you want, but in that case what is wrong with the analogy I offered you on you question about jet engines. The math and jargon are only there to put a quantitative structure to the basic physics fact that wind can push things around. – dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten Oct 06 '15 at 18:59
  • How are you defining a "good source?" I can find a great number of sources that explain it at all kinds of levels, but like dmckee, I'm unclear what it is that you are looking for here. Maybe it would be easier if you found a source that is only "okay" and not "good" and asked specific questions based on that source so we can make it "good" by helping you understand it all. You can also play with this at home -- go buy or make a pinwheel and experiment with it. – tpg2114 Oct 06 '15 at 20:48
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    A turbine blade is just a wing. Please see how wings work. There are explanations here that are better than anything you will find on this site. – Mike Dunlavey Oct 07 '15 at 12:43

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Its just momentum. Geometry is designed that wind turbine will have a rotation as in the image. Wind means air particles with speed, so when they collide with wind turbine they push it with respect to the geometry. There is no deeper reason but complex engineering to make it more efficient.

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ozgeneral
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  • The collision with air molecules happens only during starting a wind mill. The wings have the form of airplane wings and the function is the same. Turbulences on the wings surface produce a force and move the generator. – HolgerFiedler Oct 06 '15 at 19:36
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    @HolgerFiedler Lift can develop well before the onset of turbulence. In general, turbulence actually decreases the lift on an airfoil. – Darwin Oct 06 '15 at 20:57
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    Even if the fluid is moving along (so maybe not a direct collision) a curved surface, the change in momentum due to direction change results in the force on the surface. – Darwin Oct 06 '15 at 21:00
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    @HolgerFiedler So would the downwash of the wind turbine blade push it forward, like an aircraft wing. – Ethan Oct 06 '15 at 23:46
  • @Ethan The air densities and currents around the surface are just details and distractions. The propeller/blade moves simply because molecules collide with it. Ultimately the equal-but-opposite force carries away an air-mass in the other direction. This answer is perfect for this question. If you want more detail, read about airfoils — but a flat surface is sufficient to make a windmill (and sufficed for hundreds of years). Careful airfoil design just helps to improve efficiency. – Blackbody Blacklight Oct 07 '15 at 03:44
  • @Ethan Your words are better than mine -:) – HolgerFiedler Oct 07 '15 at 04:23
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    @HolgerFiedler So I got it right then – Ethan Oct 07 '15 at 11:48