Atmosphere : The gaseous envelope surrounding earth
aviation takes place around first 60k feet.
Gas composition : Nitrogen 78 % ; Oxigen 21 % ; Other gases 1%
Those proportions do not change with altitude.
Oxigen : 1. for the sustenance of life
2. The combustion of materials.
Water vapour : 1. Responsible for weather around the earth ( turn affects aircraft operations and
performance
2. May cause icing of the airframe or engine which may impair an aircraft
performance
Region Atmosphere : 1. Troposphere : Temp. decreases with an increase of height
(all significant weather occurs here)
2. Tropopause : - Upper limit of tropopause
- Temp. stops decreasing with an increase of height.
3. Stratosphere : - From tropopause 50 km above sea level,
- Temp steady , increasing in height
4.Thermosphere / Ionosphere : - Temp. increases with height/ altitude increases
Units
1.Heat is transform of energi,
2.Boiling point of water : 100 C / 212 F / 373 K
3.Melting point of water : 0 C/ 273 K
Convert temp :
F = (9/5)C + 32
C = (5/9)(F-32)
Temp Variation in the troposphere :
1. At Ground Level, Temp increases with a decrease of latitude
2. With increasing altitude, temp will usually decrease with height up to the tropopause
Typical values of temp found at the tropopause :
Latitude Temp (C)
equator -80
45 N/S -56
Poles -45
Lapse rates
The International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) value : 1,98 C / 1000 feet.
a reduction of density reduces lift.!!
Pressure :1. The force exerted on a unit area
2. In the atmosphere, pressure is caused by the mass of gaseous molecules acting under the force of gravity on a given area.
Pressure =
Force / Area = (Mass x Acceleration) / Area
Units : 1 Newton = 105 dynes
Variation of Pressure in the atmosphere
At Sea Level :
Altitude (ft) = 0
Pressure in (mb) = 1013.25;
in (psi) = 14,7;
in (Hg) = 29.92;
in ( mm Hg) = 760;
Pressure Altitude :
The Altitude at which given pressure occurs in the international Standard Atmosphere
The cold air w
ould have greater mass than the warm air due to the density difference. However it caused by the mass of overlying molecules on a unit area.
Density : Mass per unit volume of a substance
Density = Mass / Volume
at sea level : Density (kg/cu m) = 1.225;
The reduction in pressure results in a lower density.
Humidity : the mass of water vapour in a given volume of air
Condensation : The phase change of a gas to liquid.
Freezing : the phase change of liquid water to ice