Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Sonic Booms

What is a sonic boom? On this explainer, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice explain how a sonic boom works.

You’ll learn the definition of mach one. How does sound work? We talk about airplanes and the noise they make at different speeds. What happens to sould when you break the sound barrier? You’ll find out what a supersonic plane and the crack of a whip have in common. Why don’t we have commercial supersonic planes? All that, plus, discover what a “light boom” is and what it has to do with diamonds.

About the prints that flank Neil in this video:

FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk:

About StarTalk:
Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!

#StarTalk #neildegrassetyson

0:00 - Introductions
0:35 - Airplanes
3:30 - Faster Than Sound
6:15 - Sonic Booms
7:05 - The Concorde
8:05 - Salisbury Cathedral
9:32 - Meteors
9:55 - Light Boom
11:27 - Closing Notes

[purohithkondaveeti]

You make knowledge feel like a basic right of humanity than a luxury.. I can't thank you enough Dr Tyson for bringing us all these topics. Feeling a little bit smarter and wiser than before watching these videos. You're an inspiration to millions and thank you for your contribution. Kindly keep them coming!

[vykx]

Ok, I'm seriously interested in light booms.

[D.B..]

It's when you hold back, then press forward and punch.

[batkevn]

"The novelty would wear off quickly."

As someone that grew up with near-daily sonic booms, I miss them.

[bentontramell]

So when Guile from Street Fighter hits you with his "sonic boom", the punch is traveling greater than 700 mph.

[racingfuel]

Can you imagine being Neil’s physics teacher😂😂😂

[EnglundGambit]

I hope they make separate video explaining more about “Light Booms”.

Sounds interesting!!

[likithstochastic]

Just before the sonic boom hits the ear, if we could see the plane approaching us, the experience is weird. There is a fast approaching supersonic airplane while there is pin drop silence!

[kevinwalden]

Gosh I LOVE these explainers. I thought I knew what a sonic boom was and the sonic barrier but this broke it down in such a way that I never even thought of and learned so much more

[gundamable]

6:58 Chuck is holding back a joke about a crackhead sonic the hedgehog

[bambelbar]

You don’t hit the sound barrier—the sound barrier hits you.

[TheHorseValse]

I love this format and ratio of education and entertainment! Thank you for your online presence! We need more of this from all over the science fields! :)

[Adversoleso]

It's just me or Chuck charged back to do that sonic joke?

[mbgal]

When I was a child in the 80’s I used to live in Jacksonville, Florida near the Mayport Naval Base and I heard sonic booms multiple times and this was long after they were illegal but I guess the Navy got around that by doing it over the ocean, but we still heard them.

[jameslopez]

The Space Shuttle created "sonic booms" all the time during re-entry before landing.

[njones]

"It's a wall of sound!"
Phil Spector has left the building.

[keynotes]

He means like lighting strikes too. Love the thunder

[EmptyGoat]

Before watching, I'm desperately hoping for that Guile theme when Neil gets momentum.

[bgdybta]

They should figure out how to make a sonic boom for the people who criticize Neil, for his correction of the bad science depicted in movies. Just keep it in the cone.

[Adversoleso]

the light boom is cherenkov radiation, right?