Sonic boom facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
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A sonic boom can be seen with the naked eye.

A sonic boom is created when an object travels faster than the speed of sound. When an airplane reaches the speed of sound, it makes such an explosive noise it can be seen with the naked eye. This is often called "breaking the sound barrier." The visible part of a sonic boom is actually air that becomes squashed by sound waves. The thunder that a storm makes is also a sonic boom caused by lightning forcing air to move faster than the speed of sound.

The first plane to travel at the speed of sound was the Bell X-1 in 1947 and was piloted by Chuck Yeager.

Images for kids

  • Dopplereffectsourcemovingrightatmach1.4

    The sound source is travelling at 1.4 times the speed of sound (Mach 1.4). Since the source is moving faster than the sound waves it creates, it leads the advancing wavefront.

  • N-wave

    NASA data showing N-wave signature.

  • Large-Scale Low-Boom Supersonic Inlet Model

    New research is being performed at NASA's Glenn Research Center that could help alleviate the sonic boom produced by supersonic aircraft. Testing was recently completed of a Large-Scale Low-Boom supersonic inlet model with micro-array flow control. A NASA aerospace engineer is pictured here in a wind tunnel with the Large-Scale Low-Boom supersonic inlet model.

  • Northrop F-5E (modified) DARPA sonic tests 04.07R

    NASA F-5E modified for DARPA sonic boom tests

  • Bullwhip

    An Australian bullwhip.


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Sonic boom Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.