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On aircraft wings, the bottom is flat and the top is curved. I know this benefits the aircraft by producing lift, but I wish to understand how. I'm told it has something to do with how fluids behave.

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    Very closely related to What really allows airplanes to fly?, which answers your question and more. – Emilio Pisanty Jun 11 '15 at 08:58
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    Also you might get two different reasons in textbooks as to how the lift is created, thinking about which one is right may teach you a lot about physics. It did for me anyways, best of luck with it. –  Jun 11 '15 at 10:56
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    Please check out the other answers on the site. The flat-bottom-curved-top business is a widely-taught absolutely wrong explanation, and totally fails to explain aerobatic airplanes, which have symmetric airfoils. They fly just as well upside-down as right-side up. Almost any shape can fly, as long as it pulls the air into a downwash. – Mike Dunlavey Jun 12 '15 at 01:31
  • That actually makes a lot of sense. – DragonSlayer3 Jun 12 '15 at 09:23

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