sound barrier

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sound barrier

A jet plane breaks the sound barrier in the sky.

Definition

Noun: 1. A point of sudden, large increase in aerodynamic drag and other physical effects experienced by an object as it approaches the speed of sound: This is the primary technical definition. It refers not to a physical wall but to the set of challenging aerodynamic phenomena, including a sharp rise in drag and the formation of shock waves, that occur near Mach 1 (the speed of sound). 2. (Informally) The speed of sound itself: In common usage, "the sound barrier" is often used to refer to the speed of sound (approximately 767 mph or 1,235 km/h at sea level), especially in the context of breaking or surpassing it.

Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • Early jet pilots struggled to overcome the sound barrier due to violent buffeting and loss of control.
    • The rocket-powered Bell X-1 was the first aircraft to officially break the sound barrier.
    • The sonic boom is a direct result of an object passing through the sound barrier.
Advanced Usage
  • "to break the sound barrier": To travel faster than the speed of sound.
    • The fighter jet accelerated smoothly to break the sound barrier.
  • "to approach the sound barrier": To travel at speeds near, but not exceeding, the speed of sound.
    • As the plane approached the sound barrier, the controls became very stiff.
Variants and Related Words
  • Sonic barrier (noun): A direct synonym for "sound barrier."
  • Transonic (adjective): Referring to speeds close to the speed of sound, typically between Mach 0.8 and Mach 1.2, where the effects of the sound barrier are most pronounced.
    • Transonic flight is aerodynamically complex.
  • Supersonic (adjective): Referring to speeds greater than the speed of sound (Mach > 1).
    • Supersonic travel creates a continuous sonic boom.
Synonyms
  • Sonic barrier
Related Phrases
  • Sound barrier is a fixed noun phrase. It does not have phrasal verb forms.
Related Idioms
  • Break the sound barrier: While technically a description of a physical event, this phrase is sometimes used metaphorically to describe achieving something previously thought impossible or moving with incredible speed.
    • The new processor breaks the sound barrier for computing power.
sound barrier

A jet plane breaks the sound barrier in the sky.

Noun
  1. the increase in aerodynamic drag as an airplane approaches the speed of sound

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