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Above MCRIT in the transonic speed regime, at a constant angle of attack, the CD will...
  • A
    increase as Mach number increases.
  • B
    decrease as Mach number increases.
  • C
    remain constant in the entire regime.
  • D
    vary depending on Mach number.

Refer to figure.
As speed increases above MCRIT shock waves begin to form and drag increases more rapidly than it would have done without the shock waves. The additional drag is called wave drag and is due to energy drag and boundary layer separation.

The Mach number at which the aerodynamic drag begins to increase rapidly is called the drag divergence Mach number. The Drag Divergence Mach Number is usually close to, and always greater than, the Critical Mach Number, as seen in figure 1.

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