The center of pressure is commonly referred to as which term?

• A. Center of Gravity
• B. Center of Lift
• C. Aerodynamic Center
• D. Wing Center

Answer: (B)

The center of pressure is the point along the wing where the resultant aerodynamic force can be considered to act. Because that force is the lift (the vertical component of the aerodynamic force), this point is often referred to as the center of lift. As the angle of attack changes, the pressure distribution on the wing shifts, so the center of pressure moves along the wing. This movement matters for stability, since the relative position of the center of pressure to the aircraft’s center of gravity affects pitch tendency.

The other terms aren’t the same thing: the center of gravity is the aircraft’s mass center, not the line of action of the aerodynamic force; the aerodynamic center is a fixed point (for a given configuration) where the pitching moment is nearly independent of angle of attack; and wing center isn’t a standard designation for this concept.