What happens to the lift produced by an airfoil at a higher angle of attack?

When an airfoil is at a higher angle of attack, the lift produced by the airfoil generally increases until it reaches a critical angle of attack. This increase occurs because the airflow over the airfoil generates a greater pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces, which is the fundamental principle behind the generation of lift. As the angle of attack increases, the effective camber of the airfoil also increases, enhancing this pressure difference.

However, this relationship is valid only up to a certain point known as the critical angle of attack. Beyond this angle, the airflow can start to separate from the upper surface of the airfoil, leading to a reduction in lift and potentially resulting in stall. Therefore, while lift rises with increasing angle of attack, it is crucial to recognize that this increase is not indefinite and is capped at the critical angle, where maximum lift is achieved before the airflow becomes unstable.

This concept is fundamental in aerodynamics and valuable for pilots and engineers to understand the performance limits of an aircraft or any device that generates lift.