Classify the flow around the capsule at sea level and in low earth orbit as con- tinuum, transitional or free molecular based on the Knudsen number. Explain in words why this classification is important to understanding the fluid dynamics.
Please do part d only
Knudsen number variation
A space capsule is 15.6 feet in diameter and weighs 22 metric tons at Earth sea level.
(a) Calculate the Knudsen number for the capsule at Earth sea level. Assume a molar
mass of 28.9 ×10−3 kg/mol, a molecular diameter of 0.36 nm, and a density of
1.225 kg/m3.
(b) Calculate the Knudsen number for the capsule as it is approaching the Interna-
tional Space Station in low Earth orbit (LEO), 300 km above sea level during a pe-
riod of extremely high solar activity. Assume a molar mass of 18.1 ×10−3kg/mol,
a molecular diameter of 0.34 nm, and a density of 1.7 × 10−11 kg/m3.
(c) Calculate the particle number density at LEO.
(d) Classify the flow around the capsule at sea level and in low earth orbit as con-
tinuum, transitional or free molecular based on the Knudsen number. Explain in
words why this classification is important to understanding the fluid dynamics.
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