Aviation & Aeronautics
Intermediate

Mach Number

Ratio of speed to the local speed of sound.

Formula

M=vaM = \frac{v}{a}

Variables

vSpeed
aSpeed of sound

Example

Mach 1 = sound speed

Did You Know?

The sound barrier was first broken in 1947 by Chuck Yeager, reaching Mach 1 in the Bell X-1.

aerodynamics