© 2026 Public Radio Tulsa
800 South Tucker Drive
Tulsa, OK 74104
(918) 631-2577

A listener-supported service of The University of Tulsa
classical 88.7 | public radio 89.5
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

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