That fighter pilots often break the sound barrier is more than clear to us. However, it is much more difficult to exceed this speed on other vehicles. formula 1 cars, for example, develop very high speeds, but do not go so far. Although there are times when a Formula 1 driver may exceed the speed of sound: when you uncork bottle of champagne to celebrate their victory.
This was recently demonstrated by a group of French scientists (how could it be otherwise) in a study accepted for publication in Physics of fluids. In it they analyze shock wave this happens from the moment the cork starts to separate from the bottle of champagne until he is thrown out of it.
For this they used high speed camera, capable of capturing all the details that the human eye cannot detect. Thus, they saw that gas shock waves reach much faster than the speed of sound and that specimens like those of rocket or bullet launch that are fired from firearms.
Why are they using a high speed camera?
Sometimes it may seem counterintuitive what to see all video details slow motion requires high speed cameras. Where are we, fast or slow?
But the truth is that we need high speed. Simply put, you want a high rate of fire. And that’s what these cameras do. capture a lot of frames in a very short time. This way you will be able to see all the details and calculate your speed.
In doing so, you can see how the cork of a champagne bottle gradually separates. Initially it still hinders gas flow, then interacts with it, and finally leaves. In this case, shock waves are generated, the speed of which can exceed the speed of sound. But let’s see how.
When champagne goes beyond the speed of sound
The first thing these scientists saw was that the cork came off the bottle of champagne. coronal shock wave with speeds of almost 1500 kilometers per hour. This is much more than a Formula 1 car can achieve, and also much more than the speed of sound. So yeah, at this point they kind of imitate fighter pilots. But the matter does not stop there.
These waves combine to form a phenomenon known as shock diamond. This usually happens in the combustion columns aerospace propulsion systemswhen the pressure of the emitted gases differs from the atmospheric pressure. Ultimately, a wave pattern characteristic of rockets is formed.
Initially, shock waves can reach speeds of 1,500 km/h.
But the process continues. Two-thirds of a millisecond later, the cork in the champagne bottle has already cracked open, and a cylindrical flow can form. But this is not enough to get out of the way of the gas. At this point, something known as shock wave. This type of wave is more common in space events or when a bullet is fired from a firearm.
And that is why this study is so interesting. A bottle of champagne is very easy to get with which you can study various much more complex phenomena in which the speed of sound is exceeded, from rocket launches to bullet trajectories.
Even if you are not a Formula 1 driver and not an athlete, surely someday, in the not so distant future, you will discover bottle of champagne. When you do this, remember that you can exceed the speed of sound. More reasons not to gouge someone’s eye out.
Source: Hiper Textual
