Would a 10km/s projectile disintegrate at sea level?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Treva31
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Projectile Sea level
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
Sign up Log in
2 replies · 2K views
Treva31
Messages
48
Reaction score
2
Assuming you could fire a projectile at 10km/s.
Polished aluminum, almost solid, same size and shape as an artillery shell.

Most people say it would disintegrate due to the friction at sea level.
But would it really?
I heard someone say it would just ablate some of the aluminum. And that 1700 kelvin ablates less than 1mm per second. Which if you shot up at that speed it wouldn't take very long to get into much thinner air.
Does anyone really even know? I don't think anything has ever gone that fast within the atmosphere.

How could I calculate the friction produced and its effect?
And are there other forces to worry about?
 

Discussion

Physics news on Phys.org
Perhaps have a look at ..
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/22/science/fastest-gun-on-earth-goals-go-beyond-planet.htm
 
Last edited by a moderator:
CWatters said:
Perhaps have a look at ..
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/22/science/fastest-gun-on-earth-goals-go-beyond-planet.htm

Thanks, that is interesting but doesn't really answer the main question.
 
Last edited by a moderator: