Final answer:
As air passes through a shock wave, pressure and temperature increase while velocity decreases behind the shock front. This happens when an object exceeds the speed of sound compressing and heating the air molecules leading to a sonic boom as the shock wave moves along the ground.
Step-by-step explanation:
As air passes through a shock wave, the pressure, temperature, and velocity of the air are significantly altered. When an object, such as an aircraft, moves faster than the speed of sound, it creates a shock wave by compressing the air in front of it. This compression leads to a rapid rise in air pressure and temperature because the air molecules are forced closer together, increasing their kinetic energy. This is similar to the effect inside a hot air balloon, where heated air molecules move faster, striking the balloon's interior and increasing pressure. The temperature increases due to the compression and friction between the air molecules. The velocity of the air immediately behind the shock wave is reduced as the kinetic energy of the airflow is partly converted into increased pressure and temperature.
The shock wave itself can be described by the Mach number which is the ratio of the object's speed to the speed of sound. An intriguing phenomenon associated with the shock wave is the sonic boom, which is the intense sound that occurs as the shock front moves along the ground. It's important to note that while a sound wave propagates as a pressure fluctuation through a medium the shock wave is a nonlinear disturbance where the changes in air properties are much more abrupt and significant compared to those caused by ordinary sound waves.