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Why do swirling vortices form at an airplane's wing tips?

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  1. Exhaust from the engines spins the air
  2. Air spills around the tip from high to low pressure
  3. The wing tips spin like small propellers

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References

  1. Downwash Effects on Lift, NASA Glenn Beginner's Guide to Aeronautics www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/downwash-effects-on-lift Checked 2026-10-10.

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