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Sound made by a snap of a whip?

Updated: 8/9/2023
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Wiki User

14y ago

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The "crack" occurs when the wave of motion traveling down a whip surpasses the speed of sound. The wave can move so quickly because a whip tapers from the handle to the tip. When a whip is snapped, the momentum from the motion at the handle is conserved, and consequently the speed increases as the diameter of the whip decreases. Thus the wave gathers speed as it continues down the length of the whip, and when its velocity exceeds the speed of sound it produces a small sonic boom-the distinctive "crack". Dawie Venter

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15y ago
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14y ago

Because the tip is travelling faster than the speed of sound.

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15y ago

When a whip is cracked, the end of it actually reaches the speed of sound. So the sound that is produced is actually a tiny sonic boom.

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14y ago

Cracking a whip makes a sound because the tip travels faster than the sound barrier.

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12y ago

The cracking of a whip is caused by the end of the whip going fasted that the speed of sound causing a small sonic boom.

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14y ago

crack

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