19. Fluid Mechanics
Intro to Pressure
19. Fluid Mechanics Intro to Pressure
20PRACTICE PROBLEM
It can be shown using the ideal gas law that the density of a gas compressed by gravity changes exponentially following ρ = ρ0e-(y/y0). y is the displacement from sea level (upward is positive), ρ0 = 1.28 kg/m3 is the density of air at sea level, and y0 is the scale height of the atmosphere. i) Use the weight of an air column to determine the value of y0. ii) A commercial airline is cruising at 11500 m above sea level. Express air density at the cruising altitude as a percentage of air density at sea level.
It can be shown using the ideal gas law that the density of a gas compressed by gravity changes exponentially following ρ = ρ0e-(y/y0). y is the displacement from sea level (upward is positive), ρ0 = 1.28 kg/m3 is the density of air at sea level, and y0 is the scale height of the atmosphere. i) Use the weight of an air column to determine the value of y0. ii) A commercial airline is cruising at 11500 m above sea level. Express air density at the cruising altitude as a percentage of air density at sea level.