lift force
Wing's upward push
Lift force is the aerodynamic force that acts perpendicular to the direction of airflow over a surface, most famously keeping aircraft aloft.
When air moves faster over the curved upper surface of a wing than the flat lower surface, pressure differences create upward lift.
The lift force generated by the wings exceeded the plane's weight, allowing takeoff.
The concept applies beyond aviation to hydrofoils, sails, and spinning balls curving through air.
- airfoilLift-generating curved surface
- bird wingAvian flight limb
- hydrofoilWing that lifts boats
- angle of attackWing-to-airflow orientation
- fluid dynamicsScience of flowing matter
control surfaces · buoyancy · wing loading · downwash · aerodynamics · flight path · Newton's third law · air resistance · ground effect · laminar flow · pressure differential · air pressure · airplane · paper airplane · free fall · kite · rotor · turbulence
lift forceweight
Measure of heaviness
gravitational force · downforce · gravity · gravitational pull