Wing tip vortices result in which kind of drag?

• A. Form drag
• B. Parasite drag
• C. Profile drag
• D. Induced drag

Answer: (D)

Wing tip vortices arise from the lift the wing generates. When lift is produced, the air tends to spill around the wing tips, creating a swirling wake and a downwash behind the wing. This downwash tilts the lift vector and requires additional energy to maintain the same lift, which shows up as a rearward, along-the-motion drag component. That drag component is called induced drag, and it is directly tied to lift production. It’s most noticeable at lower speeds or higher angles of attack and decreases as speed increases (with higher aspect ratio wings reducing it). In contrast, form and parasite (including profile) drag come from the vehicle’s shape, surface, and flow separation, not from the lift-generated wake. So the drag linked to wingtip vortices is induced drag.