What causes a lifting force on an airplane's wing design?

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SUMMARY

The lifting force on an airplane's wing is primarily due to the difference in airflow over the upper and lower surfaces of the airfoil, which creates a pressure differential. Contrary to common misconceptions, a thin wing can generate lift without requiring curvature, as long as it is positioned at an appropriate angle of attack. The discussion clarifies that images depicting wing deflection under load do not contradict the principles of lift generation but rather illustrate the stresses experienced by the wing. Understanding these concepts is essential for grasping the mechanics of flight.

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  • Basic principles of aerodynamics
  • Understanding of airfoil design
  • Knowledge of angle of attack
  • Familiarity with beam deflection theory
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As I know, lifting force is because the surface of upper side of the airfoil is longer than the bottom side, causing the pressure of down side larger and produce lefting force...
this is a picture from my lecture notes, which the instructor didn't explained but seems contradict to what I knew...
Anything wrong with my mindset? can anyone help to explain the picture?
Thanks.
 

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There's no contradiction.
The image is nothing to do with how a wing generates lift, it shows deflection and stresses due to a distributed load (which happens to come from the lift force).
You'll find many similar (albeit mostly upside down) images if you google 'beam deflection'.
 
A lifting force coexists with downwards deflection of the air flow relative to the wing. In the case of a thin wing, the upper and lower surfaces have the same length, and they don't need to be curved. A thin flat wing at some angle of attack can generate lift (at the cost of increased drag compared to more efficient wing shapes).

As posted by billy_joule, the image shows an exaggerated example of a wing flexing under load, as viewed from behind (or in front) of an aircraft.
 

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