Speed of sound:

Let us apply our fundamental equations to the gas flow shown,

Let points 1 and 2 be ahead of and behind the wave, respectively

Applying the continuity equation

ρ1 A1 V 1 =ρ2 A2 V 2
ρA 1 a=( ρ+dρ) A 2 (a+da ). .. .(27 )

Here A, and A2 are the areas of a stream tube running through the wave. Area of
the stream tube is constant. Therefore eq. (27) becomes

ρa=( ρ+dρ)( a+da )

ρa=ρa+ad ρ+ρ da+dρ da. . .(28)

The product of two small quantities dρda is very small in comparison to the other
terms in Eq.(28) and hence can be ignored. Thus
da
a=−ρ ... .(29)
dρ
Now apply the momentum equation in the form of Euler's equation,
dp=−ρ ada
dp
da=− ....(30)
ρa
 dp
Substituting eq.(30) into
(√ )
a= eq.(29) and
dρ isentropic
simplifying
.....(31)

p
√
a= γ ......(32)
ρ
a=√ γ RT .. ....(33)

Equations (31), (32), and (33) are important results for the speed of

sound; however, Eq. (26) is the most useful

Mach Number:

The speed of sound leads to another vital definition for high-speed gas flows-
namely, the Mach number

V
M=
a

We will find that M is one of the most powerful quantities in aerodynamics. We

can immediately use it to define three different regimes of aerodynamic flows

1. If M < I, the flow is subsonic.

2. If M = I , the flow is sonic.

3. If M > I, the flow is supersonic.