What do the sound waves look like after Mach 1?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of sound waves as an object approaches and exceeds the speed of sound (Mach 1). Participants explore the formation of shock waves, the characteristics of sound waves in this regime, and the implications of the Doppler effect.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested, Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes how sound waves become increasingly compressed as an object approaches Mach 1, leading to a conical formation of waves beyond that speed.
  • Another participant states that the phenomenon is characterized by the formation of a shock wave, linking to external resources for further reading.
  • A different participant expresses initial confusion about the term "shock wave," comparing it to fictional concepts, while acknowledging the engaging nature of the topic over their homework.
  • One participant shares a link to additional information, suggesting it may be of interest to others in the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the behavior of sound waves changes significantly at and beyond Mach 1, with multiple views on the specifics of how sound waves behave and the implications of the shock wave phenomenon.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the nature of sound waves and shock waves remain unaddressed, and there is a lack of clarity on the relationship between the loudness of sound and the spacing of sound waves in this context.

grandpa2390
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I get from pictures that the waves in front of the craft get closer and closer together until at Mach 1 they are on top of each other and boom!

but!
after that, the sound waves form a cone... what is that? is that the head of each wave being produced behind the previous wave and then blasting through it as the plane pushes through each sound wave?

the cone gets pointier as the craft moves faster. Does the sound get louder as the the plane pushes sound waves through more previous ones, or are the sound waves just stretched farther apart only.

I am imagining the Doppler effect would stretch the cone like it does the waves prior. But that is just a guess on my part.
 
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nikkkom said:
It becomes a shock wave.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_wave

I had heard of the term before, but I always put it in that category with fictional scientific terms such as "flux capacitor" and so forth.
Should be doing homework right now, but everything else in Physics is always more interesting that what I am supposed to be doing ;)
 

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