When an aircraft breaks the sound barrier, how far does the shock-wave travel?
Author: admin Category: 5
Basically, when an aicraft breaks the sound barrier, it creates a shock-wave that can break glass, but I want to know, how far does that shock-wave travel, and at what speed does it travel? Does it travel at the speed of sound? And if so, can you go deaf from being hit by the shock-wave? Does it do any other damage besides that?
Shock wave intensity is also determined by the aircraft design and the altitude. The power, or volume, of the shock wave is dependent on the quantity of air that is being accelerated, and thus the size and weight of the aircraft. For instance, the sonic boom of a Concorde is less than for a Boeing 2707. There are also theoretical designs that do not even create sonic booms.
In a way you answered your own question. The speed of sound is the speed of sound - period. Therefore, the speed of the sonic boom is the speed of sound! 
The critical speed is known as Mach 1 and is approximately 761 mph at sea level.
A typical shockwave can exceed 200 decibels - easily enough to cause permanent hearing damage if not complete deafness. Fortunately, most people are far enough away from the shockwave that the SPL they experience is far below that 200 decibels.
As for how far it travels, it depends on the atmospheric conditions, as well as the surface and altitude.
August 1st, 2009
Shock wave intensity is also determined by the aircraft design and the altitude. The power, or volume, of the shock wave is dependent on the quantity of air that is being accelerated, and thus the size and weight of the aircraft. For instance, the sonic boom of a Concorde is less than for a Boeing 2707. There are also theoretical designs that do not even create sonic booms.
In a way you answered your own question. The speed of sound is the speed of sound - period. Therefore, the speed of the sonic boom is the speed of sound!
The critical speed is known as Mach 1 and is approximately 761 mph at sea level.
A typical shockwave can exceed 200 decibels - easily enough to cause permanent hearing damage if not complete deafness. Fortunately, most people are far enough away from the shockwave that the SPL they experience is far below that 200 decibels.
As for how far it travels, it depends on the atmospheric conditions, as well as the surface and altitude.
References :
August 1st, 2009
Hi there, sorry to go off subject because I don’t know the answer to your question. You answered one of my questions about massive heart attack and I was wondering if you could watch the following clip about the immediate death of a soccer player named Feher. Can you tell me from the clp below if he died intantaniously.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4632546396732254867&q=feher
References :