Question

What Effect Does Increasing the Camber of a Wing Have?

a) Increases lift and drag
b) Decreases lift and drag
c) Increases lift, decreases drag
d) Decreases lift, increases drag

Answer 1

Increasing the camber of a wing results in increased lift and drag as it improves the wing's ability to deflect air downwards, generating more lift but also more airflow disruption, which causes additional drag.

Step-by-step explanation:

Increasing the camber of a wing typically increases lift because it enhances the wing's ability to deflect air downwards, which, according to Newton's third law, results in an upward reactive force. However, a side effect of increasing camber is that it also generally increases drag, due to a larger surface area facing the oncoming airflow and greater airflow disruption. Therefore, the correct answer is a) Increases lift and drag.