ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Angle of incidence (aerodynamics)

When you throw a ball straight ahead, it flies straight because it is going in the same direction as it was thrown. But if you throw the ball at an angle, it will change direction when it hits something, like a wall or the ground.

The same thing happens when something moves through the air, like a plane or a bird. When it hits the air at an angle, it changes direction. The angle at which it hits the air is called the angle of incidence.

Pilots and engineers study the angle of incidence to help planes fly better. They want the plane to move through the air smoothly, without bouncing around or losing lift. By adjusting the angle of incidence, they can make the plane more stable and easier to control.

So, the angle of incidence is basically the angle at which something hits the air as it moves through it. It's an important concept in aerodynamics because it affects how things fly and how well they can be controlled.