Sonoluminescence is a phenomenon where a tiny bubble in a liquid emits a flash of light when exposed to intense sound waves.
How It Works
Powerful sound waves cause a small bubble in a liquid to expand and then rapidly collapse.
During the bubble's collapse, the pressure inside increases dramatically, raising the temperature to several thousand degrees Kelvin.
The high temperature ionizes the gases inside the bubble, leading to a brief flash of light.
In 1934, German engineers studying sonar discovered this phenomenon when they noticed light flashes from bubbles affected by sound waves.
While we know the general process, the exact details of how the light is produced are still not completely understood.
Natural Example
Pistol Shrimp: These shrimp create a bubble with a snap of their claw.
When the bubble collapses, it produces a loud sound, intense heat, and occasionally a brief flash of light
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