Editing Lift (force) (section)

===Lift coefficient===
{{Main|Lift coefficient}}

Lift depends on the size of the wing, being approximately proportional to the wing area. It is often convenient to quantify the lift of a given airfoil by its ''lift coefficient'' <math>C_L</math>, which defines its overall lift in terms of a unit area of the wing.

If the value of <math>C_L</math> for a wing at a specified angle of attack is given, then the lift produced for specific flow conditions can be determined:<ref>{{citation|last=Anderson|first=John D.|year=2004|title=Introduction to Flight|edition=5th|publisher=McGraw-Hill|isbn=978-0-07-282569-5|page=257}}</ref>

:<math>
L = \tfrac12\rho v^2 S C_L
</math>

where 
* <math>L</math> is the lift force
* <math>\rho</math> is the [[air density]]
* <math>v</math> is the velocity or [[true airspeed]]
* <math>S</math> is the planform (projected) wing area
* <math>C_L</math> is the lift coefficient at the desired angle of attack, [[Mach number]], and [[Reynolds number]]<ref>{{citation|last=Yoon|first=Joe|title=Mach Number & Similarity Parameters|publisher=Aerospaceweb.org|url=http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/q0156.shtml|date=28 December 2003|access-date=11 February 2009|archive-date=February 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224153817/http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/q0156.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>