# Mach number

(Difference between revisions)
 Revision as of 12:03, 11 September 2005 (view source)Jola (Talk | contribs)← Older edit Revision as of 10:31, 13 September 2005 (view source)Jola (Talk | contribs) Newer edit → Line 1: Line 1: + The Mach number, $M$, is the local flow-speed, $u$, divided by the local + speed of sound, $a$: + + :$M \equiv \frac{u}{a} \equiv \frac{\mbox{local flow speed}}{\mbox{local speed of sound}}$ + + The Mach number can be used to categorise a compressible flows into different [[Mach number regimes]] + + The name "Mach number" originates from the famous pioneer in compressible fluid dynamics [[Ernst Mach]] + [[Category: Dimensionless parameters]] [[Category: Dimensionless parameters]]

## Revision as of 10:31, 13 September 2005

The Mach number, $M$, is the local flow-speed, $u$, divided by the local speed of sound, $a$:

$M \equiv \frac{u}{a} \equiv \frac{\mbox{local flow speed}}{\mbox{local speed of sound}}$

The Mach number can be used to categorise a compressible flows into different Mach number regimes

The name "Mach number" originates from the famous pioneer in compressible fluid dynamics Ernst Mach