College Physics with MasteringPhysics 7th Edition by Jerry Wilson,Anthony Buffa,Bo Lou

Exercise 81

A supersonic jet flies directly overhead relative to an observer, at an altitude of 2.0 km (Fig.). When the observer hears the first sonic boom, the plane has flown a horizontal distance of 2.5 km at a constant speed. (a) What is the angle of the shock wave cone (b) At what Mach number is the plane flying (Assume that the speed of sound is at an average constant temperature of 15 °C.)

FIGURE Faster than a speeding bullet See Exercise.