Bernoulli Equation (Example)
The pitot tube is a simple device to be used for airspeed measurement. It can usually be seen close to the nose of the airplane. The basic operation of the tube is based on the Bernoulli’s principle. One end of the tube is directly pointing toward the incoming air stream. As the air particles approach the opening, they will gradually be decelerated and eventually come to a complete stop, or stagnant. During the process, the kinetic energy of the particles convert into higher pressure, stagnation pressure. The difference of this pressure and the local static pressure can be used to determine the local air speed.