Can you feel a shockwave in space?

A ‘shock wave’ is the disturbance of material that’s created when a wave moves through a medium at greater than the local speed of sound. Provided there is a ‘medium’ of sufficient density through which a shock wave can travel, there is no reason why shock waves can’t form in space.

What happens to a shockwave in space?

Shock waves result when the matter through which the wave is passing is compressed and the molecules collide and vibrate. When the velocity of the disturbance is extreme, such as in the case of a meteor, electrons are knocked loose and the molecules are ionized. In space, explosions are constantly occurring.

Can a pressure wave exist in space?

On Earth, that medium is typically air or water and there is certainly plenty of that. In space, it isn’t quite a true vacuum, but it is far lower density than anything on Earth – as a result, most pressure waves cannot propagate well. There are some notable exceptions though: supernovae for one!

Does a shockwave create a vacuum?

No in that if there is a shockwave, it is not a vacuum anymore. A shockwave must be propagated by something.

How far does a shockwave travel in space?

Scientists have captured the blast from a supernova 10,000 light-years away in a cosmic speed trap, clocking the shockwave from the dead star’s explosive end at speeds of nearly 8 miles per second.

Do explosions make sound in space?

Sound needs a medium to travel (such as air), but space generally doesn’t have it. Therefore, sound can’t really propagate in space. So you can’t hear an explosion or any other sound in space.

What would an explosion look like in space?

An explosion in space would realistically look like a brief spherical burst of light moving outwards, as well as a discharge of energy and material from the exploding object (energy and light can both travel in a vacuum). It would take a moment for the pressure to rebalance from space and for the fuel to be burned up.

How does a shock wave feel?

It feels like hitting water very fast, except its air pressure instead. Both can break bones and push air out of your lungs upon impact. At a distance it kind of feels like a bass drum in a band. You don’t even have to be able to hear it.

Do explosions create a vacuum?

All explosions create a vacuum space. Due to the expansion of vacuum space, shock wave occur (figure 3). Figure 3. Area expansion during the explosion.