In aerodynamics, what would be the consequence of increasing an aircraft's speed?

Increasing an aircraft's speed primarily leads to an increase in drag. As an aircraft moves faster through the air, the relative motion creates more aerodynamic resistance, which is referred to as drag. This increase in drag occurs due to several factors, including increased skin friction drag and induced drag.

Skin friction drag arises from the friction of air molecules sliding over the aircraft's surface, while induced drag is a byproduct of lift generation – as lift increases with speed, induced drag also increases because of the higher angle of attack typically required. It's essential to note that understanding how drag impacts performance is crucial for pilots, as it influences fuel consumption and overall flight efficiency.

As for the other choices, while increasing speed does indeed play a role in those aspects, they do not directly characterize the immediate effect of increased speed as clearly as the increase in drag does. Additionally, an increase in lift can occur with speed; however, if the aircraft is exceeding certain speed thresholds, such as the critical stall speed, it may introduce complex behaviors that require careful management.