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Science glossary film: Sonic boom

Sonic boom

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The loud bang caused by a plane or other object flying faster than the speed of sound.

The loud bang caused by a plane or other object flying faster than the speed of sound. The boom follows a plane's flight path like a ship's wake. As a plane approaches the speed of sound, shock waves build up ahead of it, and as it pushes through these shock waves the sonic boom is produced.

The boom follows a plane's flight path like a ship's wake. As a plane approaches the speed of sound, shock waves build up ahead of it, and as it pushes through these shock waves the sonic boom is produced.

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