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Sound is a longitudinal wave, meaning that the displacements of the medium that makeup the disturbance are in the direction of
the wave motion (unlike transversal waves where this displacement is perpendicular to the motion of the wave). Energy is
transferred through the vibrations that make up waves. Sound waves generally propogate in all directions.
Hence, it is lausible that sound waves could engage the Hulk and stop it in its tracks, as seen in the movie. Energy is power
derived from utilizable chemical or physical resources. The military in this video utilizes the energy of the sound waves to stop
the hulk in its tracks. They are essentially using the periodic compression and decompression of the air molecules to stop the
hulk and this decompression and compression is so strong that it is visible.Therefore, the argument can be made that sonic
weapons could be effective against the a massive, genetically modified, green, giant. However, maybe not in the form of sound
waves. In the movie, the weapon that the military is using is named the Stark Sonic Cannon which is a non-lethal anti-personnel
weapon developed by Accutech, a subsidiary of Stark industries. This weapon can emit extremely intense, focused field of
compressed sound waves that can disable assailants.
While this weapon does not exist, to the knowledge of the public, this technology is a completely plausible. An LRAD (a long
range acoustic device) developed by LRAD corporations was made to broadcast mesages and pain-inducing deterrent tones
over long distances. We see this reality in the movie clip where the Hulk grabs his head in response to being blasted by the sound
cannon. Resonance is when one object is vibrating at the natural frequency of a second object and moves the second object into
vibration. A resonant frequency of an object is this natural frequency that we discussed at which the object will begin to vibrate.
The different parts of the human body all have resonant frequencies and when these parts begin to vibrate that may result in some
undesirable health effects. For example, if you play a sound at 19 Hz, the resonant frequency of the human eyeball, then the
eyeball will begin to twitch and grey, splotchy patches will appear in ones vision. In order to get the head to resonate at
dangerous levels, you would need a source of 240dB. Thats probably what theyre doing to the hulk. I dont understand Marvel
comics so I apologize but Im going to assume that the Hulks ears have the same resonant frequency as a humans. For the sake
of the audience, the producers have made the tasteful opinion not to broadcast the pitch of the sound cannon at the frequency of
the human ear because I am sure Marvel would be facing more than a few lawsuits if moviegoers lost their hearing during a film.
The Hulk originally has kinetic energy. In the beginning of the clip, we see that he is running towards the sonic
cannons across the field. Kinetic energy is what is keeping him in motion. However, the hulk then slows down to 0 velocity due
to the air resistance and the compression created by the sound cannon. Intensity of a sound wave can be translated into a measure
of power as it is the energy per unit time that is transferred per unit area of a surface that a wave impinges upon (as defined
previously). We can calculate the kinetic energy of the hulk. Say his mass is 280 kg (4x the mass of a normal human) and he is
moving towards the soldiers at a speed of 50 meters/second. We can also predict the weight of the hulk, which is 2744 Newtons.
When the sonic cannon is fired at him, the hulk immediately stops in his track but isnt thrown back. The velocity change over
time is instantaneous and from the video we can see that he went from a velocity of 50 m/s to 0 in about 0.7 seconds. This gives
us an de-acceleration of 71.42 m/s2. This, multiplied by the mass of the hulk gives us a resisting force that should be at least
19997.6 Newtons incident on the hulk from the machines. The kinetic energy of the hulk is then 350,000 joules. Due to the
Work-Kinetic Energy Theorem we can say that the work done on the Hulk by the sound waves is 350,000 joules because the KE
changes from this value to 0. This is understandable because sound waves can be described as concussive air. Sound waves exert
pressure on a surface, and if they are intense enough they can cancel out forces. Pressure is simply force per unit area. The sound
can have a force. More realistically, however, we can say that a blast was generated instead of a sound wave. This whole weapon
is dependent upon the compression of air. When bombs detonate, energy from the bomb escapes rapidly and compresses the air
into a supersonic blast wave. Following this is high-velocity shock waves. Shock waves have a higher energy and speed than
regular sound waves. In order to stop the Hulk the sound wave from the weapon should be equivalent to an explosive. The
movement of the particles of a fluid induce force. Therefore, while this weapon may not be invented yet and while the mechanics
behind it may be impossible engineering/physics, the way it functions is somewhat plausible.
In order to sort of back this up, I have a video of acoustic levitation.
Acoustic levitation works because of the standing wave created by a sound wave reflected off of a surface. This standing wave
consists of nodes and anti-nodes (areas of high pressure and low pressure). If we put an object between two nodes (antinode and
node) then the low pressure acting on the antinode and the high pressure acting on the node then there will be a netforce acting
upwards. Therefore, what would make a weapon like this work is areas of high and low pressure which generate force in a
specific direction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K8zs-KSitc
The movie also worked well with constructive interference. As the woman is screaming at the soldiers to stop using the
weapon, the scene cuts to the Hulks POV. At this point, her voice sounds wobbled. If were assuming these are sound waves and
not shock waves, then constructive and destructive interference would apply to her voice.
https://www.wired.com/2014/01/how-do-you-levitate-things-with-sound/
Liquid air
http://mashable.com/2012/03/22/soundlazer-kickstarter-speaker/#E390TJF6yuqp