Do whips really break the sound barrier?

Do whips really break the sound barrier?

Now researchers report that they have discovered the mechanism responsible for the startling sound. It has long been thought that the crack results from the tip of the whip traveling fast enough to break the sound barrier and create a sonic boom. Apparently, it’s the loop in a whip that is the real noisemaker.

Can a whip go supersonic?

As early as 1905, physicists understood that a whip crack is a sonic boom produced when some part of the whip reached a supersonic speed. Even though those parts are moving twice as fast, it is the loop itself that generates the sonic boom,” Professor Goriely said.

What’s the speed of a whip?

Given that professional baseball players routinely throw baseballs at over 90 miles per hour, 25 miles per hour is a reasonable assumption for how fast a whip can be thrown, even by a couch potato. This is the kinetic energy in the moving part of the whip.

Is it illegal to crack a whip?

Whip cracking is not a crime — or at least there aren’t any municipal or state laws that prevent you from publicly cracking your whip, said Jackson police Lt. Roger Schultz. But Schultz said less-populated areas are more appropriate for practicing. “Whip cracking is cool,” Schultz said.

Why are there two sonic booms?

The “boom” is experienced when there is a sudden change in pressure; therefore, an N-wave causes two booms – one when the initial pressure-rise reaches an observer, and another when the pressure returns to normal. This leads to a distinctive “double boom” from a supersonic aircraft.

How do whips go so fast?

The whip has to be moved so that a U-shaped loop is formed near the handle, where the whip is thickest and stiffest. The loop travels progressively faster the closer it gets to the tip, because the energy from the heavier part of the whip is carried along into the lighter, thinner part.