The lift force on an airplane wing is a result of what principle?

The lift force on an airplane wing is primarily explained by Bernoulli's principle, which describes how the pressure of a fluid changes as its velocity changes. As air flows over and underneath the wing, the shape of the wing (airfoil) causes the air to move faster over the top surface than underneath. According to Bernoulli's principle, this increase in velocity results in a decrease in pressure above the wing compared to the pressure below it. The pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces creates an upward lift force that allows the airplane to rise.

Newton's Laws can also be involved in understanding lift, particularly in terms of action and reaction forces, but the specific mechanism for how lift is generated, as described by airflow patterns around the wing, is best illustrated through Bernoulli's principle. Archimedes' principle relates to buoyancy in fluids and is not applicable to the lifting mechanisms of an airplane wing in air. The conservation of mass, while fundamental in fluid dynamics, does not directly explain how lift is generated in this context.