shock waves
Explosive pressure fronts
Shock waves are pressure disturbances that travel faster than the speed of sound, created by explosions, supersonic aircraft, or other sudden energy releases.
A sonic boom is the shock wave from a plane breaking the sound barrier.
Figuratively, shock waves describe the spreading impact of dramatic events: The assassination sent shock waves through the political establishment.
Also spelled shockwaves.
- Mach numberRatio to sonic velocity
- supersonicExceeding audio velocity
- sound barrierMach one transition zone
- detonationExplosive ignition event
- nuclear explosionViolent atomic energy release
explosions · bomb blast · air blast · lithotripsy · wavefronts · sonic booms · turbulence · implosions · impact · earthquakes · fluid dynamics · pressure waves · overpressure · barotrauma · cavitation · ripple effects · paradigm shifts · pulse
- earthquakesearthquake, quake, earthquakes, quakes, epicenter
- waveswavelength, ripples, wavefront, surf, waveform
- Supersonicssonic boom, Mach number, sound barrier, Mach 1, Mach 2
- aerodynamicsairflow, lift, drag, drag coefficient, turbulence
- ballisticsballistics, bullet, bullet drop, cartridge, trajectory
- fluid dynamicsfluid mechanics, fluid flow, turbulence, fluid motion, streamlines
shock wavesripples
Small surface undulations
gentle waves · calm · stillness · equilibrium · whispers
shock wavessmooth transition
Gradual, unnoticeable change
calm · stability · business as usual · steady state · normalcy