What happens to lift as the angle of attack increases?

As the angle of attack increases, lift generally increases due to the way lift is generated on an airfoil. The angle of attack is the angle between the chord line of the wing and the oncoming airflow. When this angle increases, it enhances the flow of air over and under the wing, creating a greater pressure difference. This pressure difference is critical for lift generation, as according to Bernoulli's principle, an increase in the velocity of air over the wing's upper surface decreases pressure, while higher pressure on the lower surface contributes to lift.

However, it's important to note that this increase in lift is subject to the critical angle of attack, the point at which the wing eventually stalls and lift decreases significantly. Beyond this angle, the airflow starts to separate, leading to a loss of lift. Thus, while lift generally increases with the angle of attack initially, pilots and engineers must consider this limit to maintain safe and effective flight operations.