The angle of the shock wave produced by a jet traveling at Mach 2 at an altitude of 3000 m (assume the speed of sound to be 340 m/s at this altitude)is approximately
A)30º
B)40º
C)50º
D)60º
E)80º

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The angle of the shock wave ($\theta$) produced by an object moving faster than the speed of sound can be calculated using the Mach angle formula: $\sin(\theta) = \frac{1}{M}$, where $M$ is the Mach number (the ratio of the object's speed to the speed of sound). Given the jet is traveling at Mach 2, we have $\sin(\theta) = \frac{1}{2}$. Solving for $\theta$, we find $\theta \approx 30^\circ$.

The Angle of the Shock Wave Produced by a Jet