In terms of stability, how does a higher dihedral angle benefit an aircraft?

A higher dihedral angle enhances lateral control and stability in an aircraft by improving its resistance to rolling motions. The dihedral angle is the upward angle of the wings relative to the horizontal plane. When an aircraft with a higher dihedral angle experiences a disturbance, such as turbulence or an asymmetric lift condition, the lift vector causes a restoring moment that tends to return the aircraft to level flight.

This stabilizing effect occurs because when one wing is lower than the other, the higher wing generates more lift due to the increased angle of attack caused by the dihedral, effectively creating a force that pushes the aircraft back to its original attitude. Thus, a higher dihedral angle contributes significantly to maintaining lateral stability, ensuring that the aircraft can recover from uncommanded roll tendencies more effectively.

Other options may address different aspects of flight characteristics, but none convey the specific stabilization advantage associated with dihedral angle. For instance, while a higher dihedral angle can indirectly affect roll control, it does not primarily serve the purpose of improving speed control or significantly reducing aerodynamic drag.