Question

When airfoil thickness decreases, the critical Mach number

• A. increases
• B. decreases
• C. constant
• D. infinity

Hint:

Designing thinner airfoils can help aircraft achieve higher speeds without experiencing transonic and supersonic flow phenomena.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Relationship Between Thickness and Critical Mach Number.
As the thickness of an airfoil decreases, its ability to delay the onset of supersonic flow over its surface increases. Therefore, thinner airfoils can achieve higher subsonic speeds before encountering supersonic flow, implying an increase in the critical Mach number.