Aircraft wings....?

Question

what causes the white streaks on tips of aircraft wings during flight. (looks like smoke, but i know its something to do with humidity).

Answer 1

The humidity from the air is surely a factor because you wouldn't get these vapour trails or 'vortexes' without moisture.

It's all about the pressure exerted. As the wing pulls high angle of attack (AoA or Alpha), the pressure at the wingtips often condense the vapour to create a trail. On most modern fighter aircraft, vapour isn't just formed around the tips, but all around the wing itself at high alpha.

Answer 2

humidity of the air and heat of the aircraft causing condensation.

Answer 3

Its called a vortex and it is basically just a spiral of rotating air. It is more visible in higher humidity.

Answer 4

Turbulence at the wingtip causes a change of air pressure which will precipitate any moisture as a mini vapour trail.

Depressurisation of a cabin will also cause an instant fog to be formed.

Answer 5

water vapour and it's called a vortex

Answer 6

Water vapor. Its just the way the wind gets disrupted once you start rotation the air is flowing straight over the wing then you pitch up. creating lift towards the edge of the wing this phenomena usually occurs closer to the fuselage you also need a bit of condensation to see this.

Answer 7

The air the wing is going through contains water in vapor form.  You can't see it, but it's there.  That's how water vapor is--invisible.  There are places around the aircraft where the air is expanding.  Such expansion causes cooling.  "Expansional cooling."  The vortices off the tips of the wings are such an area of expanding air.  In some parts of some (humid) vortices water condenses from (invisible) vapor into (visible) liquid water droplets, and you see the condensation trail that results.

Answer 8

It's water vapour.

Answer 9

humidity from the air

Answer 10

wing tip vorticies causes low air pressure which cause air temperature to decrease causing the air to saturate (usually only on humid days) and becoming visible like a cloud