I was just sitting at my computer last night and a question popped up,.. can there be wind so fast that it breaks the speed of sound? i know there probably isnt anything like that on earth but, is it even possible?
2007-06-24 04:37:04 · 6 answers · asked by Chris n 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
It's possible to happen, but I think it seldom happen on the earth. But in some planet like the jupiter, saturn, neptune and uranus, it's possible for them to have such a strong wind.
2007-06-24 04:52:51 · answer #1 · answered by Lai Yu Zeng 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it most certainly is possible. In fact, scientists recently discovered an extrasolar planet (that is to say a planet that is not orbiting our Sun) which has winds up to about 10 times the speed of sound at sea level on Earth, and almost certainly higher than the speed of sound even in their own, probably denser, environment. However, because sound waves are carried by matter, sound would still be able to move in the same direction as the wind and go 'faster' than the wind.
2007-06-24 04:42:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
perhaps, but most likely in wide open space like a dessert or the ocean because in th ocean the movement of water creates air and since the speed of sound equation is v=332+0.6(Temperature in Celcius) it may be possible but if your near the sound waves where the wind breakes then your ear might be bleeding or whatever. Thats why our planes who could fly faster than the speed of sound like around mach 3 or 4 do not and its illegal because it could shatter windows and probably kill people with different levels of frequency.
P.S anyone who gets their information from a very baiased , insubstantial website like wikipedia, are totally useless.
2007-06-24 09:29:31 · answer #3 · answered by Peter n 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is possible -- but "wind" is not the right term for it. "Explosive blast front" is more like it. For example, when a volcano explodes. Or when a good size meteorite hits the Earth.
2007-06-24 05:51:28 · answer #4 · answered by morningfoxnorth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pyroclastic flow from a volcano frequently approaches the speed of sound.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroclastic_flow
2007-06-24 08:14:16 · answer #5 · answered by Yak Rider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It's called a shock wave.
They are produced by explosions, and are responsible for what is termed 'blast damage`.
Such waves are also produced by supersonic aircraft, and decay into 'sonic booms".
2007-06-24 06:13:07 · answer #6 · answered by Irv S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋