Q&A

How much force is required to break the sound barrier?

How much force is required to break the sound barrier?

U.S. Navy For an airplane to break the sound barrier, it must hit speeds of about 770 mph — when it does that a couple of things happen.

What is the first thing to break the sound barrier?

The Bell X-1
The Bell X-1, piloted by Chuck Yeager, was the first plane to break the sound barrier.

How do you break the sound barrier?

The moment an aircraft’s speed exceeds the speed of sound, it is said to have broken the sound barrier. At what speed do you break the sound barrier? The speed at which you break the sound barrier depends on many conditions, including weather and altitude. It’s approximately 770 mph or 1,239 kmh at sea level.

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Did the ME 163 break the sound barrier?

In 1944, a modified Me 163 reportedly achieved 702 miles per hour in a dive, nearly shearing off its vertical stabilizer in the process. This unofficial record was not exceeded until 1947, when Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in his Bell X-1.

Who broke the sound barrier?

Chuck Yeager
U.S. Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager becomes the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound. Yeager, born in Myra, West Virginia, in 1923, was a combat fighter during World War II and flew 64 missions over Europe.

Are there any ME 163 still flying?

Me 163B, Werknummer 191614, has been at the RAF Museum site at RAF Cosford, since 1975. Before then, it was at the Rocket Propulsion Establishment at Westcott, Buckinghamshire. This aircraft last flew on 22 April 1945, when it shot down an RAF Lancaster.

What is the sound barrier and how does it work?

Today, we know that the sound barrier is the sudden increase in aerodynamic drag that happens when an object approaches the speed of sound — also known as Mach 1. It’s not a physical or solid barrier. The moment an aircraft’s speed exceeds the speed of sound, it is said to have broken the sound barrier.

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Who is the fastest person to break the sound barrier?

First human to break the sound barrier with only his body. Fort Canaveral, Florida: Supersonic skydiver Felix Baumgartner was faster than he or anyone else thought when he jumped from 24 miles up. The Austrian parachutist known as “Fearless Felix” reached 843.6 mph, according to the official numbers released Monday.

Can exceeding the speed of sound really destroy an aircraft?

Until Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier on October 14, 1947, it was a commonly-held belief that exceeding the speed of sound — breaking the sound barrier — would destroy an aircraft. Where did these ideas originate? Here’s a quick primer on the sound barrier.

What happens when a jet breaks the sound barrier?

When a jet breaks the sound barrier, most sonic booms can be heard as a short but loud clap of thunder. The intensity of a sonic boom does not change with higher or lower acceleration, rather, it is affected by the size of the airplane, i.e., a larger aircraft will displace a larger amount of air, resulting in a larger boom.