Ma=V/c; sound speed in air is about 343 m/s.
Speed of sound a=√(γRT): about 343 m/s in air at 20 °C and 1480 m/s in water. Mach number M=V/a. Information travels at a, so supersonic flow cannot 'warn' upstream, leading to shocks. Mach cone angle sinμ=1/M.
A jet at 600 m/s at 10 km (a≈300 m/s) flies at Mach 2.
The Mach number tells you how close a flow is to the speed of sound, which sets the flow regime and the design approach for aircraft and jets.
Ma=V/c; sound speed in air is about 343 m/s.
The Mach number tells you how close a flow is to the speed of sound, which sets the flow regime and the design approach for aircraft and jets.
About 343 metres per second at 20 degrees Celsius, and it depends on temperature.
Subsonic is below Mach 1, transonic is near Mach 1, supersonic is above 1, and hypersonic is much faster.
Typical applications include classifying a jet engine inlet as subsonic or supersonic, estimating the speed of a missile from its Mach number and checking the flow regime of a wind tunnel test section.
Study "Compressible flow" first (topic 76 of 105 in Thermodynamics & Fluids). It covers the groundwork this topic builds on.
Depends on temperature only for ideal gas. Sonic boom. Altitude effects.
A jet at 600 m/s at 10 km (a≈300 m/s) flies at Mach 2.
The next topic is "Isentropic nozzle flow", which builds directly on this one.
It is classed as Advanced in Thermodynamics & Fluids (topic 77 of 105). It is an advanced topic. It assumes you are comfortable with the intermediate topics in Thermodynamics & Fluids.
Want to practise? Open the interactive course for quick checks, quizzes, simulations and progress tracking.