How does lift occur in an aircraft's wing?

Prepare for the Ryanair Assessment POF Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and detailed explanations. Ace your exam seamlessly!

Lift occurs primarily because of the differences in air pressure created by the wing's shape and its angle of attack. As an aircraft wing moves through the air, the specially designed airfoil shape causes the air to travel faster over the top surface than the bottom surface. According to Bernoulli's principle, this increase in speed leads to a decrease in pressure above the wing compared to the higher pressure underneath it, generating lift.

The wing's angle of attack, which is the angle between the wing's chord line and the oncoming airflow, also plays a crucial role in enhancing lift. A higher angle of attack increases the lift up to a certain point, known as the critical angle, beyond which flow separation may occur, leading to a stall.

In summary, the intricate relationship between the shape of the wing, the airflow around it, and the angle at which it meets the flow collectively contribute to creating the lift necessary for flight.

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