Sonic Boom

Sonic boom are shocks created by aircraft traveling at high speeds. Sonic booms generete large amounts of sound energy. A sonic boom is much like an explosion.

When aircraft travelling at high speeds occur pressure waves are built up at the tip of the aircraft and behind it. These pressure waves travel at the speed of sound. When the aircraft speeds up the waves are forced together. These waves are compressed together and eventually turn into single shock waves at the speed of sound. The shock wave begins at the tip of the aircraft til the end of the tail on the aircraft. The shock then forms a cone with the aircraft as the tip. From this point there is a rise in pressure at the tip of the aircraft followed by a sudden reture to normal pressure. The boom occurs when there is this change in pressure. This is how aircrafts make loud noises or "booms" as they call it when travelling at high speed. This is something I have always been interested in but didn't know it was related to physics until know.