8.

1 PHYSICS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

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 AERODYNAMICS

The study of objects in motion through

air and the forces that produce such
motion.

THE ATMOSPHERE
 ATMOSPHERIC CONTENT
• Composition of air :-

 78% - Nitrogen

 21% - Oxygen

 1% - Other Gases (argon, carbon

dioxide, hydrogen, helium, neon,
etc.)

OXYGEN

Human breathing

Fuel combustion  keep aircraft flying

THE ATMOSPHERE
 PRESSURE
 ‘Air has weight’
 Pressure  weight (force) Column of air
pressing down on a given extending from
area sea level upward

 Weight decreases with

increasing height
 Sea level atmospheric
pressure under standard
condition ( 15° C / 59° F )
 14.69 psi or
 29.92 in Hg. or
 1013.25 millibars or
 101.325 kPa

PRESSURE
Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude

PRESSURE
 TEMPERATURE
o Decrease with increasing altitude
o Constant (-55˚C) above 55 000 ft (12
km)
o Decrease at a lapse rate of 1.98˚C
per 1000 ft
o Standard day temperature at sea
Sun radiate level  15˚C / 59˚F
heat o Temperature does not affect much
through on aircraft in flight but it does affect
atmosphere the variations of humidity
o Humidity affect flight operation
Earth absorb
heat (increase Warm air rises, expands, cools
air temperature
on surface)

TEMPERATURE
Change of temperature with height

TEMPERATURE
 Effect of temperature on take-off run and Rate of Climb

COLD
WINTER
DAY

HOT
SUMMER
DAY

• Aircraft requires longer runway for takeoff on damp day than on dry day

HUMIDITY
 DENSITY
 ‘Air is compressible’
 Compressed air  more
dense (less space
occupied by air)
 Density = measure of air
thickness
 Density varies directly
with pressure
Low altitude  more
dense
High altitude  less
dense
 Density at sea level is
1.225 kg/m3

DENSITY
Density affect the aerodynamic performance of aircraft ALTITUDE

HIGH Altitude
LESS Density
Greater speed
and distance

LOW Altitude
GREATER Density

Same Horsepower
Less speed
and less distance

DENSITY
 HUMIDITY
 Amount of water vapor in air (condition of moisture or
dampness)
 Temperature influence the maximum amount of water
vapor that the air can hold
 Higher air temperature  absorb more water vapour
 Density of air varies with humidity
 Density on damp day (hot day) is less than density on dry
day (cold day)

HUMIDITY
 THE ATMOSPHERE

The whole mass of air extending upward for

hundreds of miles from the earth
(320 km in depth)

THE ATMOSPHERE
LAYERS OF ATMOSPHERE

THE ATMOSPHERE
 INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
ATMOSPHERE (ISA)
o Atmospheric conditions TEMPERATURE
vary around the world • 15˚C
due to changes in the • 59˚F

properties of the PRESSURE

atmosphere • 14.69 psi
• 29.92 in Hg
o Established to provide a • 1013.25 milibar
common reference for • 101.325 kPa
temperature, pressure • 1 atm
and density at varying DENSITY
altitudes • 1.225 kg/m3

ISA
 Q CODE
• To similarise the altitude reference of all aircraft
• Due to variable atmospheric condition around the
world
• 3 type of code :
– QFE : aircraft height above airfield
– QNH : Aircraft height above sea level (local condition)
– QNE : Aircraft height above sea level (ISA condition)
 AIRSPEED
• Speed of sound is 331m/s at sea level with
temperature 0oc
• Mach number as reference to speed of sound at
that altitude
• Speed of sound reduce with reduce in temperature
• Indicated Airspeed(IAS) is direct reading from
gauge measured by dynamic air pressure of aircraft
• True airspeed(TAS) is true flying speed base on
actual atmospheric condition.
• IAS is less thab TAS in altitude.