Which phenomenon can occur due to a high angle of attack?

Study for your Commercial Ground – Basic Aerodynamics Exam. Prepare with multiple choice questions, detailed explanations, and hints. Excel in your aerodynamics knowledge!

When an aircraft operates at a high angle of attack, the airflow over the wings can become disturbed. This condition leads to a stall, which occurs when the smooth airflow over the wing is disrupted, causing a dramatic loss of lift.

As the angle of attack increases beyond a certain critical point, the wings cannot generate enough lift to support the aircraft's weight. The wing reaches a state where the air cannot smoothly follow its contour, leading to a turbulent flow and a significant reduction in lift. This is why stalls are closely related to high angles of attack and are crucial for pilots to understand.

While increased lift is typically associated with a lower angle of attack up to a certain point, and aerodynamic drag may increase with higher angles, both are not the primary phenomenon that defines a stall. Improved stability is not a characteristic of high angles of attack, as such conditions can lead to loss of control. Thus, the stall phenomenon specifically illustrates the negative consequences associated with a high angle of attack.

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