How do you calculate the lift coefficient and what factors affect it?

Lift coefficient CL = L / (0.5 * rho * V^2 * S) where L is lift force, rho is air density, V is velocity, and S is wing reference area. Factors affecting CL include angle of attack (primary), airfoil shape (camber, thickness), Reynolds number, Mach number, and high-lift devices. For a 3D wing, CL is less than the 2D section cl due to induced effects, related by CL = cl / (1 + cl/(pi*e*AR)) where e is Oswald efficiency factor.