Assignment 1

Q.1) What is meant by geopotential altitude? Calculate the altitude 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/ft2 respectively. If the
temperature at 30000 ft is -60F, find the pressure and density at 20000 ft.

Q.7) In the log layer of turbulent boundary layer, calculate the value of B by matching the profile to
the edge of viscous sublayer assuming the viscous sublayer ends at y = 10.7/v*.

Q.8) The universal velocity distribution in a turbulent pipe flow due to Prandtl mixing length is given

1+
1
by:
= [ (
) 2], where r is measured from the centre of the pipe and is an
1

empirical constant. Show that the expression for average velocity is given by
16

= 1 15 [ ].

Q.9) Show that the momentum-integral equation for boundary layer has the same form in
laminar and turbulent flows.

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 .