"Normal shocks" are a fundamental type of shock wave. The waves, which are perpendicular to the flow, are called "normal" shocks. Normal shocks only happen when the flow is supersonic. At those speeds, no obstacle is identified before the speed of sound which makes the molecule return after sensing the obstacle. While returning, the molecule becomes coalescent at certain point. This thin film of molecules act as normal shocks.[clarification needed]
Thermodynamic relation across normal shocks
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- Yaha, S.M (2010). Fundamentals of compressible flow (4th ed.). New age international publishers. ISBN 9788122426687.