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I was referring to your explanation "When a plane goes faster than air, it makes air-waves. When a plane goes faster than sound, it makes sound-waves."

In physics, an air wave typically refers to a sound wave. While both of your statements are true (plane makes sound-waves at both speeds), they didn't explain the sonic boom, like you did now.

> You cannot move air any faster than the speed of sound in air.

Minor nitpick, doesn't a plane traveling above Mach 1 displace (i.e. move) air faster than the speed of sound in air? :)



Right, sorry. The wave can't propagate any faster than the speed of sound -- the air itself be moved faster, but you have to do so by physically displacing it.




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