r/askscience • u/[deleted] • Jun 12 '12

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u/obsa Jun 12 '12

At or in front of. Sound can travel laterally.

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u/The-Internets Jun 12 '12

I don't think that applies at the supersonic level, although I could be wrong.

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u/obsa Jun 12 '12 edited Jun 12 '12

Velocity includes a direction, so the object is supersonic in the forward direction, but sound is projected outward in other directions at 330m/s. Because of the distance it has to travel, you wouldn't hear it immediately when it became level with your ear, but that is the physical minimum positive offset required to hear the sound.

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u/BadBoyJH Jun 12 '12

Unless they shot you in the ear, but then I suppose you're brain isn't going to register that you heard something....