How fast does an airplane have to be moving to produce a sonic boom on a day when the temp. is 30C ?

Question

need to show how you got to your answer.

Answer 1

That is a trick question.

The speed of sound in the conditions you specify (30 C) is 349.04 m/s (calculating it is done by using the equation "SQRT(gamma R T)").

However, and that is the trick part, an airplane moves the air around it, the curvature of the wing upper surface accelerates the air in order to create lift, and that air reaches Mach 1 before the airplane does. And as soon as some air reaches Mach 1, and has to slow down later, there will be a sonic shock. It will evidently be milder than when the whole aircraft goes Mach 1, but there will be a small boom.

Additionally, there could be another trick: a 30C day may be 30C at sea level, and be -15C or -25C at altitude; and you did not specify which altitude the airplane was flying at.

Answer 2

783 mph  or  350 m/s

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hba...