Lift:
Lift is the factor that contributes the plane actually getting off the ground as well as to further gain altitude. Lift acts in the opposite direction of the weight of the airplanes, and in general is mostly generated from the wings of the aircraft.
Lift is the factor that contributes the plane actually getting off the ground as well as to further gain altitude. Lift acts in the opposite direction of the weight of the airplanes, and in general is mostly generated from the wings of the aircraft.
Lift occurs when a flowing gas, in this case air, is redirected by a solid object, which in this case is the wings of the aircraft. The wings are designed to be slanted at a slight angle on the airplane, and this helps redirect the airflow as the air molecules go over both sides of the wing. One part of the wing that contributes to redirecting the airflow is the flaps of the airplane. The flaps, which are situated on the back of the airplane, are angled to help direct the airflow downwards, which in turn helps the airplane move upwards, or keep the airplane at the desired altitude. For the aircraft to go upwards, the flaps are set at a higher angle, which helps create a larger downward force. When the pilot wants to stay at a steady altitude, the flaps are are adjusted to have a smaller angle, which will cause a smaller force to be deflected downwards.
Angle of Attack:
As also described in the section about drag, angle of attack is equally important for lift. The lift of the aircraft relies on the velocity of the aircraft, as well as the angle of attack. When an airplane increases altitude, the velocity is generally increased and/or the angle of attack is increased. There is a limit though to how high the angle of attack should be. If the angle is too high, the airflow over the top of the wing will not be smooth, and this in turn produces less lift on the aircraft. Although the photo showing the angle of attack is also in the section about the force of drag, I will put it here too for reference:
Angle of Attack:
As also described in the section about drag, angle of attack is equally important for lift. The lift of the aircraft relies on the velocity of the aircraft, as well as the angle of attack. When an airplane increases altitude, the velocity is generally increased and/or the angle of attack is increased. There is a limit though to how high the angle of attack should be. If the angle is too high, the airflow over the top of the wing will not be smooth, and this in turn produces less lift on the aircraft. Although the photo showing the angle of attack is also in the section about the force of drag, I will put it here too for reference:
The equation that can be used to determine the lift of the aircraft is:
Where L= Lift Force, S= Platform Area, ρ= Density of Air, V= Air Velocity, and CL= coefficient of lift