Re:NASA regains contact with mini-helicopter on Mars
by skovati on Sunday January 21, 2024 @12:16PM
(#39080365)
Interesting note about this: the speed of sound on Mars is only ~70% of that on Earth, due to less atmospheric density. Might change your Mach numbers!
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Re:NASA regains contact with mini-helicopter on Mars
by Metacelsus on Sunday January 21, 2024 @12:47PM
(#39080684)
It's not due to less density, but rather a different gas composition (CO2 vs. N2+O2).
Re:NASA regains contact with mini-helicopter on Mars
by algas on Sunday January 21, 2024 @02:34PM
(#39082067)
Let's run the numbers!
The speed of sound in an ideal (calorically perfect) gas is given by
a = sqrt( gamma * R * T )
where gamma is the ratio of specific heats (thermodynamic property of a gas, which may vary with temperature), R is the individual gas constant, and T the temperature of the fluid. All of these are going to be different on Mars versus on Earth: Earth:
R = R_atm = 287 J / (kg * K)
gamma = 1.44
T = 293 K (taking room temperature as an average temperature)
Mars:
R = R_CO2 = 188 J / (kg * K)
gamma = 1.37
T = 210 K (from a quick google, about -60 deg C)
If the Martian and Earth atmospheres were at the same temperature, then the speed of sound on Mars would be 80% that of the speed of sound on Earth. Given the temperature difference, the speeds of sound are a_mars = 232 m/s
a_earth = 347 m/s
So yes, much of the difference is due to the composition: the Martian atmosphere has a higher atomic weight, which leads to a lower individual gas constant, and decreases the speed of sound. However, a substantial amount of the difference is simply due to the different temperatures on the surfaces of the two planets.
Re:NASA regains contact with mini-helicopter on Mars
by jessriedel on Sunday January 21, 2024 @01:16PM
(#39081018)
I included it