Menu

Sound Barrier for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: saʊnd_'bæriər

What does Sound Barrier really mean?

46 1
46
Hey there! I'm so excited to help you understand the meaning of the term "Sound Barrier." So, imagine you're in a race, trying to run as fast as you can to reach the finish line. Suddenly, there's this invisible wall, like a big barrier, that stops you from going any faster. Well, that's how it is with sound too, except we call it the sound barrier!

The sound barrier is a term that's often used to describe a limit or a hurdle that sound waves face when they are traveling through the air. When something moves through the air and creates a sound wave, it sends out vibrations which travel through the air like ripples on water. These vibrations or sound waves usually move at a certain speed, just like you when you're running.

Now, when the sound waves reach a certain speed, they encounter this "wall" called the sound barrier. It's not a real physical wall but more like a limit that makes it really hard for the sound waves to go any faster.

So, here's where it gets interesting! You know how we have these super-fast airplanes called jets? Well, there was this time when people realized that when an airplane flies really, really fast, it can actually go faster than the speed of sound! Can you believe that? It's like the airplane is trying to beat the sound in a race!

Now, when an airplane goes faster than the speed of sound, it breaks through this sound barrier. It's like the airplane is breaking through that invisible wall, just like a racing car crashing through a barrier on the track! When this happens, the airplane creates a sonic boom, which is a super loud noise, like a big boom, that we hear on the ground. It's like the airplane saying, "Hey, I made it through the sound barrier and now I'm going really, really fast!"

But breaking the sound barrier isn't easy, just like running really fast. It takes a lot of effort and special technology to break through that barrier. Only certain airplanes, like those fighter jets or special supersonic planes, are designed to go faster than the speed of sound. So, the sound barrier is that limit or hurdle that sound waves face, and breaking it is like breaking through a big invisible wall. It's pretty amazing, don't you think?

Well, I hope this explanation made it crystal clear for you! If you have any more questions or need further explanation, feel free to ask. Understanding the sound barrier is like unlocking a secret about how sound travels and how we can break limits, just like those super-fast jets!


Revised and Fact checked by Olivia Martin on 2023-10-28 18:30:32

Sound Barrier In a sentece

Learn how to use Sound Barrier inside a sentece

  • When a plane is flying very fast, it can reach a point where it becomes difficult to go any faster because of the 'sound barrier'.
  • In action movies, superheroes often break the 'sound barrier' when they run super fast and create a big boom!
  • Race cars that race around a track very quickly need to be built in a way that they can break through the 'sound barrier'.
  • Imagine you are standing beside a train track when a high-speed train passes by. The loud noise you hear is caused by the train breaking the 'sound barrier'.
  • When a spacecraft re-enters Earth's atmosphere, it has to be designed to withstand the intense heat caused by breaking through the 'sound barrier'.

Sound Barrier Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Sound Barrier Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.