Questions tagged [shock-waves]
A shock wave is a type of propagating disturbance. When a wave moves faster than the speed of sound in a liquid, gas or plasma (a "fluid", in physics terminology) it is a shock wave. Like an ordinary wave, a shock wave carries energy, and can propagate through a medium. It is characterized by an abrupt, nearly discontinuous change in pressure, temperature and density of the medium. In supersonic flows, expansion is achieved through an expansion fan.