How is Lift Generated
Bernoulli's Theorem When the velocity of a fluid increases, its pressure decreases by an equivalent amount to maintain the overall energy. This is known as Bernoulli's Principle Newton's 3rd Law Any flat object inclined upwards relative to airflow will produce lift - by deflecting air downwards Aerofoil A wing's shape is specifically designed to make use of this principle - it's called an "aerofoil"
Bernoulli's Theorem and the Aerofoil explained A wing's top surface (upper camber) is longer than it's bottom surface (lower camber) - forcing air to travel faster over the top than the bottom. This means pressure is lower on the top of the wing and higher underneath the wing - generating Lift
Angle of Attack Is the angle between the relative airflow and the centerline (chord) of the wing. Generally speaking a wing will generate MORE lift at a HIGHER Angle of Attack UNTIL it reaches the STALL ANGLE
Stalls A stall occurs when the angle of attack reaches a point where the smooth flow of air across the wing becomes too disrupted and turbulent - leading to a drastic decrease in lift. Stall angle is always the same for a particular wing and can occur in any orientation and speed. Because the angle of attack is based on relative airflow the wing doesn't "know" which way it's facing or what direction it's going - it just knows how the air is moving over it. Stall can be recovered from by reducing the angle of attack
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