Arizona Public Radio | Your Source for NPR News
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
KNAU Arizona Public Radio continues to integrate new audio software into both our news and classical services, resulting in some glitches. Thank you for your support and patience through this upgrade.

Shaping a Theory on Whip Cracks

Math professor Alain Goriely says he's figured out why whips make a cracking sound -- it's the mini sonic boom that's created by the arc traveling along the length of the whip. Goriely explains his findings to Scott Simon for Weekend Edition Saturday.

Copyright 2002 NPR