Question

The characteristic Mach number and Mach number are related. Which of these is not correct?

(a) M=1, M*=1

(b) M<1, M*<1

(c) M<1, M*<1

(d) M→∞, M*→0

This question was posed to me by my college director while I was bunking the class.

My enquiry is from The Basic Normal Shock Equations in division Normal Shock Waves of Aerodynamics

Answer 1

The correct option is (d) M→∞, M*→0

The best explanation: The characteristic Mach number and the Mach number behave almost in a similar pattern. The only difference if when the Mach number tends to infinity, the characteristic Mach number tends to a finite value. This finite value depends only on gamma is never zero.