Atmosphere

Aerospace Engineering

2011 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Earths Atmosphere
Mixture of gases
78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and other gases
Sustains life
Protects us from solar radiation

Thin sheet of air 60 miles thick

Relative comparison
Basketball wrapped tightly with plastic sheet

Earths Atmosphere Layers

Layers

Troposphere
Tropopause
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere

Constant winds

Majority of WEATHER
Abrupt changes in temperature differentiate each layer thermocline

Anvil Cloud Top of Troposphere

Stratosphere is warmer than rising air in troposhpere creating a ceiling

Air Pressure
Air above exerts
pressure below
101.3 kPa (14.7 psi)
means that column
(97 km or 60 miles)
of air sitting on two
thumbnails is 5.5 kg
(14.7 lb)
Density and
pressure higher
close to ground

Standard Atmospheric Conditions

Aerospace engineers use a standard to
compare measurements such as speed
15 OC and 101.3 kPa (Kilo Pascals)
59 OF and 14.7 psi

Earths Atmosphere Conditions

Earths Atmosphere Conditions

Lapse rate in troposphere (11 km)

= 15.04 0.00649

= 101.29

+ 273.1

288.08

=
=
=

5.256

Earths Atmosphere Conditions

Air density changes based on pressure
and temperature
Generally air density lowers as it climbs to
higher altitudes
=

0.2869

+ 273.1

=
=
=

=
3

Earths Atmosphere Conditions

Mount Everest is 8,848 m (29,029 ft) tall
Similar altitude of jet aircraft
Climbers acclimatize over long period of
time or breathe supplemental oxygen
Pilots must react quickly to receive
supplemental oxygen if cabin loses
pressure
Causes of pressure loss
Fuselage integrity failure (leak)
Window failure

Aircraft Speed

Aircraft Speed
Air molecules must move as aircraft
passes through atmosphere
Air compressed at speeds beyond ~ 400
kph (250 mph)
Air resistance is significant when close to
speed of sound
Transition to beyond
speed of sound
creates shock waves
and sonic booms

Aircraft Speed
Mach (M)
Decimal number representing the true
airspeed relationship to the local speed of
sound: 1,225 kph or 761 mph at sea level and
standard conditions

Subsonic: < Mach 1

Supersonic: Mach 1 and 5
Hypersonic: Mach 5 and 10
High-Hypersonic: Mach 10 and 25

Speed of sound changes with temperature

Higher altitudes are cooler, so Mach threshold
is lower

Assignment

Since the speed of sound through the standard atmosphere is 761 mph (1,223 km/h) at sea level,
Mach 2 then follows as 1,522 mph (2,447 km/h). If you were to ask how fast is Mach 2 at an
altitude of 30,000 ft (9,150 m), we would use the same methodology to find out that it is only 1,356
mph (2,180 km/h) because the speed of sound generally decreases as altitude increases

How can someone calculate the speed of sound precisely at a specific

altitude without ever flying an airplane?

Generally, pressure and temperature goes up the lower you go and vice versa the higher you go.

Using the formulas in this presentation calculate what the temperature and
density would be at the lowest dry point in the world and at the highest
spot in the world?

Earths atmosphere plays a crucial role in aviation just as the oceans play a crucial role in
maritime travel.

Break down how and what type of role Earths atmosphere has played in
the design, engineering, and technology of aircraft throughout history.