Assignment 1: Standard Atmosphere

Q.1) What is meant by geopotential altitude? Calculate the altitudes at which the
geopotential altitude differs from the geometric altitude by 1% and 5% respectively.
Q.2) The average surface pressure, density, and temperature of Venus were estimated by
four Pioneer probes to be p0 = 92 105 N/m2, 0 = 65 kg/m3, and T0 = 737 K, respectively.
During the descent through the atmosphere, a constant thermal lapse rate of a = 10.7
K/km was measured. If the acceleration due to gravity and molecular weight at the surface
are g0 = 8.88 m/s2 and m0 = 43.45 g/mole, respectively, derive a standard atmospheric
model for Venus. What would be the base density and scale height of the Venus
atmosphere for a good fit with the standard atmosphere in the altitude range 0 h 50
km?
Q.3) A standard altimeter reads 14,000 ft when the ambient temperature is 35F. What is
the density altitude?
Q.4) At a certain altitude, a standard altimeter reads 10,000 ft. If the density altitude is
8,000 ft, find the true temperature at that altitude.
Q.5) An airplane is fitted with an altimeter which is calibrated according to the standard
atmosphere. On a certain day the pressure at sea-level is found to be 2,130 Ibs/ft2 and the
measured temperature is 50F. The lapse rate of the temperature is -0.0039 deg.R per foot
of altitude. If on this same day, the altimeter reads 15,000 ft, what is the true altitude of the
airplane above sea-level?
Q.6) The temperature from sea level to 30000 ft is found to decrease in a linear manner. The
temperature and pressure at sea level are measured to be 40F and 2050 lb/ft 2 respectively.
If the temperature at 30000 ft is -60F, find the pressure and density at 20000 ft.
Q.7) Consider an airplane flying at a pressure altitude of 33,500 ft and a density altitude of
32,000 ft. Calculate the outside air temperature.

Note: The ratio of the pressure P at altitude to sea-level standard pressure P0 is given the symbol ,
= P/P0. The ratio of the ambient temperature at altitude T to a sea-level standard value T0 is denoted
by the symbol , = T/T0. The ratio of ambient air density to standard sea level air density 0 occurs
in many aeronautical formulas and is given the designation .