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Q21 (CDS-II/2023) Science & Technology › Basic Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) › Waves and acoustics Answer Verified

Sonic boom is produced when a source of sound travels at a speed :

Result
Your answer: —  Â·  Correct: A
Explanation

A sonic boom is a loud, thunder-like sound produced when an object, typically an aircraft, travels through the air at supersonic speeds [2]. Supersonic speed is defined as a speed greater than the speed of sound, which is approximately 767 mph at sea level [2]. As the source moves faster than sound, the pressure waves it generates cannot disperse in front of it; instead, they pile up and merge to form intense shock waves. These shock waves create a sudden change in air pressure that propagates through the atmosphere. When these merged waves reach an observer on the ground, they are perceived as a sharp, explosive boom. This phenomenon occurs continuously as long as the aircraft maintains its supersonic velocity, creating a 'boom carpet' along its flight path [3].

Sources

  1. [1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/sonic-boom
  2. [2] https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/supersonic-student.pdf
  3. [3] https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19920001390/downloads/19920001390.pdf
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