Uploaded January 2018 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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How do we calculate the position of a normal shock in a converging-diverging (CD) nozzle? In this video, we will go through the necessary calculations in order to compute the area ratio of the normal shock (and thus its position if you know how the nozzle's area changes with axial position).

For the code used at the end of the video, check out the link below in the RELEVANT LINKS section.

===== RELEVANT VIDEOS =====
→ Converging-Diverging Nozzle
goo.gl/nC5hzb

→ CD Nozzle Pressure Delineations
goo.gl/rQEA6S

→ Normal Shock Relations
goo.gl/8BaJDH

→ Normal Shock Example
goo.gl/HJfH3B

===== RELEVANT LINKS =====
► Solving the Area-Mach Number Relation
joshtheengineer.com/2016/11/16/solving-the-area-mach-number-relation

► CD Nozzle Pressure Delineations
joshtheengineer.com/2017/12/17/converging-diverging-nozzle-pressure-delineations

► MATLAB Code
joshtheengineer.com/2018/01/24/normal-shock-in-converging-diverging-nozzle

===== REFERENCES =====
→ Modern Compressible Flow, John D. Anderson (goo.gl/tBPr9n)
→ Elements of Gasdynamics, Lipemann and Roshko (goo.gl/7mUFEi)
→ Gas Dynamics, Zucrow and Hoffman (goo.gl/cVAa2G)