What happens to airflow over the wing when the angle of attack increases significantly?

When the angle of attack increases significantly, the airflow over the wing can become disrupted. As the angle of attack rises, there is a point at which the smooth, laminar flow of air over the wing changes to turbulent flow. This occurs because the air cannot stay attached to the wing’s surface anymore due to the excessive angle, leading to a loss of lift and potentially resulting in a stall. A stall is characterized by a significant decrease in lift and an increase in drag, which can adversely affect the aircraft's performance and control.

The other options do not accurately reflect the aerodynamics involved in increasing the angle of attack. Option A suggests that the airflow remains undisturbed, which is not true since increased angles disrupt the airflow. Option C implies that the airflow gains speed, which can happen at lower angles of attack but not at significantly high angles where separation occurs. Lastly, option D states that lift increases, which is only true up to a critical angle of attack; beyond that point, lift decreases as a stall occurs.