• Question: On Sunday about midday there was a sonic boom because a plane went so fast that it broke the sound barrier. What exactly made the bang?

    Asked by ledw to Christina, Colin, Jess, Samaneh, Steve on 19 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Colin Dick

      Colin Dick answered on 19 Jun 2013:

      Hi there!

      I’ve been trying to think of a straightforward answer – this is the best I can do!

      The aircraft was flying so fast that it put lots of energy into the air behind it. This energy was in the form of pressure waves which moved towards the ground. When these waves reached the ground, your ears would have processed them as a loud bang.

      It’s the same science as when somebody talks or shouts – a pressure wave is created by the vocal chords and this travels towards your ears. Shouting puts more energy into the air than talking, which is why it sounds louder.

      I hope this helps!

      Cheers,

      Colin.

    • Photo: Christina Pagel

      Christina Pagel answered on 20 Jun 2013:

      Colin already answered the question but just thought I’d mention that we used to have a passenger aeroplane called concorde that would go faster than the speed of sound but they took them out of service in 2003 because there were worries about safety… concord started flying in the late 1960s but who knows if or when there’ll be another passenger plane that goes faster than the speed of sound!

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