<P> Whipcracking is the act of producing a cracking sound through the use of a whip . Used during livestock driving and horse riding, it has also become an art . A rhythmic whipcracking belongs to the traditional culture among various Germanic peoples of Bavaria (Goaßlschnalzen), various Alpine areas (Aperschnalzen), Austria, and Hungary (Ostorozás). Today it is a performing art, a part of rodeo show in United States, a competitive sport in Australia and increasingly popular in the United Kingdom, where it crosses boundaries of sport, hobby and performance . </P> <P> The crack a whip makes is produced when a section of the whip moves faster than the speed of sound creating a small sonic boom . The creation of the sonic boom was confirmed in 1958 by analyzing the high - speed shadow photography taken in 1927 . </P> <P> Recently, an additional, purely geometrical factor was recognized: the tip of the whip moves twice as fast at the loop of the whip, just like the top of a car's wheel moves twice as fast as the car itself . </P> <P> A common explanation is to derive the behavior from the conservation of energy law . However it was noted that the energy is also conserved when the crack sizzles, therefore derivations from purely conservation laws, including conservation of momentum and some others are insufficient . </P>

How fast is the tip of a whip