shock wave
Explosive pressure front
A shock wave is a violent disturbance that moves through a medium—air, water, or earth—faster than sound travels in that medium.
Explosions, supersonic aircraft, and earthquakes all produce shock waves.
The term extends to any sudden disruption that spreads outward: The assassination sent shock waves through the political establishment.
Also spelled shockwave.
Shockwave's audible crack
- sound barrierMach one transition zone
- supersonicExceeding audio velocity
- Mach numberRatio to sonic velocity
- transonicNear sound-speed velocity
aerodynamics · jet aircraft · speed of sound · air pressure · acoustics · Doppler effect · turbulence · noise pollution
Sudden forceful burst
- detonationExplosive ignition event
- overpressurePressure exceeding ambient levels
- debrisScattered broken fragments
- fireballLuminous meteor or explosion
crater · devastation · shrapnel · fragmentation · concussion · aftermath · mushroom cloud · bomb
Surface of equal phase
- propagationAct of spreading widely
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- pressureForce upon contact
- overpressurePressure exceeding ambient levels
fluid dynamics · medium · disturbance · transmission · pulse · momentum · energy transfer · density
Seismic ground movement
- epicenterPoint above seismic origin
- faultImperfection or blame
- seismographEarthquake measuring device
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
magnitude · tremor · Richter · subduction · tsunami · seismometer · rupture · foreshock
Violent disturbance of order
- ripple effectCascading secondary results
- repercussionsIndirect results of actions
- tremorInvoluntary rhythmic shaking
- reverberationProlonged reflected sound
disruption · fallout · ramifications · impact · stunned · rocked · jolted · seismic shift
Military weapons collectively
- artilleryLarge-caliber battlefield weapons
- blast radiusArea affected by explosion
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- torpedoPropelled undersea explosive
munitions · bunker buster · IED · bomb disposal · combat · explosive · thermobaric · airburst
Shattering calculi with soundwaves
- kidney stonesMineral formations in organs
- ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
- noninvasiveNot penetrating tissue
- acousticRelating to sound
cavitation · pain relief · tendonitis · plantar fasciitis · calcific · orthopedic · trigger point · musculoskeletal
sonic boom
Shockwave's audible crack
- sound barrierMach one transition zone
- supersonicExceeding audio velocity
- Mach numberRatio to sonic velocity
transonic · aerodynamics · jet aircraft · speed of sound · air pressure · acoustics · Doppler effect · turbulence · noise pollution · Concorde
blast
Sudden forceful burst
- detonationExplosive ignition event
- overpressurePressure exceeding ambient levels
- debrisScattered broken fragments
fireball · crater · devastation · shrapnel · fragmentation · concussion · aftermath · mushroom cloud · bomb · demolition
wavefront
Surface of equal phase
- propagationAct of spreading widely
- compressionForcing into smaller space
- pressureForce upon contact
overpressure · fluid dynamics · medium · disturbance · transmission · pulse · momentum · energy transfer · density · rarefaction
earthquake
Seismic ground movement
- epicenterPoint above seismic origin
- faultImperfection or blame
- seismographEarthquake measuring device
tectonics · magnitude · tremor · Richter · subduction · tsunami · seismometer · rupture · foreshock · liquefaction
upheaval
Violent disturbance of order
- ripple effectCascading secondary results
- repercussionsIndirect results of actions
- tremorInvoluntary rhythmic shaking
reverberation · disruption · fallout · ramifications · impact · stunned · rocked · jolted · seismic shift · bombshell
ordnance
Military weapons collectively
- artilleryLarge-caliber battlefield weapons
- blast radiusArea affected by explosion
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
torpedo · munitions · bunker buster · IED · bomb disposal · combat · explosive · thermobaric · airburst · tactical
lithotripsy
Shattering calculi with soundwaves
- kidney stonesMineral formations in organs
- ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
- noninvasiveNot penetrating tissue
acoustic · cavitation · pain relief · tendonitis · plantar fasciitis · calcific · orthopedic · trigger point · musculoskeletal
- waveswavelength, ripples, wavefront, surf, waveform
- Nuclear Testsnuclear test, nuclear explosion, underground test, atmospheric test, weapons test
- shocksanaphylaxis
- Hypersonicshypersonic flight, scramjet, Mach 5, hypersonic missile, thermal protection
- Supernova RemnantsCrab Nebula, ejecta, filaments
- soundsound, echoes, acoustics, vibrations, audio
shock wavewhisper
Speech without full voice
gentle breeze · gentle ripple · soft touch · caress · light pressure
shock wavestability
Resistance to displacement
calm · continuity · steady state · equilibrium · business as usual