How is it possible for supersonic aircraft to push air out of the way?

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If the force (pressure) can be transferred/propagated only at the speed of sound, how are supersonic aircraft able to move air out of their way/do work on the air? It seems that they must transfer the force faster than the speed of sound or else they would intersect with the air. Does the speed of sound increase at the shock to allow it?






drag shock-waves







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    If the force (pressure) can be transferred/propagated only at the speed of sound, how are supersonic aircraft able to move air out of their way/do work on the air? It seems that they must transfer the force faster than the speed of sound or else they would intersect with the air. Does the speed of sound increase at the shock to allow it?






    drag shock-waves







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      up vote
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      down vote

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      up vote
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      down vote

      favorite











      If the force (pressure) can be transferred/propagated only at the speed of sound, how are supersonic aircraft able to move air out of their way/do work on the air? It seems that they must transfer the force faster than the speed of sound or else they would intersect with the air. Does the speed of sound increase at the shock to allow it?






      drag shock-waves







      share|improve this question















      If the force (pressure) can be transferred/propagated only at the speed of sound, how are supersonic aircraft able to move air out of their way/do work on the air? It seems that they must transfer the force faster than the speed of sound or else they would intersect with the air. Does the speed of sound increase at the shock to allow it?






      drag shock-waves




      drag shock-waves






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      edited 3 hours ago

























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      Francis L.

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          It is only the pressure wave that can propagate at the speed of sound. This means that a molecule of "air" that is ahead of a subsonic aircraft can get pushed out of the way without hitting that aircraft. It gets a push from another molecule, which is pushed by chain of molecules until it get to the one which is the one that hit the aircraft. The aircraft only transfers energy to the molecules that it actually hits.



          Since these molecules move on their own only at the speed of sound, a supersonic aircraft winds up directly knocking all the molecules ahead of it out of its way, in the form of a shock wave. The aircraft knocks them out of the way at whatever speed it is traveling, and the energy transferred to the whole volume of molecules is the source of the drag rise when speeds approach supersonic.






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            It is only the pressure wave that can propagate at the speed of sound. This means that a molecule of "air" that is ahead of a subsonic aircraft can get pushed out of the way without hitting that aircraft. It gets a push from another molecule, which is pushed by chain of molecules until it get to the one which is the one that hit the aircraft. The aircraft only transfers energy to the molecules that it actually hits.



            Since these molecules move on their own only at the speed of sound, a supersonic aircraft winds up directly knocking all the molecules ahead of it out of its way, in the form of a shock wave. The aircraft knocks them out of the way at whatever speed it is traveling, and the energy transferred to the whole volume of molecules is the source of the drag rise when speeds approach supersonic.






            share|improve this answer


























              up vote
              3
              down vote













              It is only the pressure wave that can propagate at the speed of sound. This means that a molecule of "air" that is ahead of a subsonic aircraft can get pushed out of the way without hitting that aircraft. It gets a push from another molecule, which is pushed by chain of molecules until it get to the one which is the one that hit the aircraft. The aircraft only transfers energy to the molecules that it actually hits.



              Since these molecules move on their own only at the speed of sound, a supersonic aircraft winds up directly knocking all the molecules ahead of it out of its way, in the form of a shock wave. The aircraft knocks them out of the way at whatever speed it is traveling, and the energy transferred to the whole volume of molecules is the source of the drag rise when speeds approach supersonic.






              share|improve this answer
























                up vote
                3
                down vote










                up vote
                3
                down vote









                It is only the pressure wave that can propagate at the speed of sound. This means that a molecule of "air" that is ahead of a subsonic aircraft can get pushed out of the way without hitting that aircraft. It gets a push from another molecule, which is pushed by chain of molecules until it get to the one which is the one that hit the aircraft. The aircraft only transfers energy to the molecules that it actually hits.



                Since these molecules move on their own only at the speed of sound, a supersonic aircraft winds up directly knocking all the molecules ahead of it out of its way, in the form of a shock wave. The aircraft knocks them out of the way at whatever speed it is traveling, and the energy transferred to the whole volume of molecules is the source of the drag rise when speeds approach supersonic.






                share|improve this answer














                It is only the pressure wave that can propagate at the speed of sound. This means that a molecule of "air" that is ahead of a subsonic aircraft can get pushed out of the way without hitting that aircraft. It gets a push from another molecule, which is pushed by chain of molecules until it get to the one which is the one that hit the aircraft. The aircraft only transfers energy to the molecules that it actually hits.



                Since these molecules move on their own only at the speed of sound, a supersonic aircraft winds up directly knocking all the molecules ahead of it out of its way, in the form of a shock wave. The aircraft knocks them out of the way at whatever speed it is traveling, and the energy transferred to the whole volume of molecules is the source of the drag rise when speeds approach supersonic.







                share|improve this answer














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                edited 3 hours ago

























                answered 3 hours ago









                Pilothead

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