Round 8: Tossup 8
The dynamics of three of these phenomena in a Sod tube are simulated in a standard benchmark for CFD simulations. The formation of a localized one of these phenomena violated ergodicity and prevented thermalization in the FPUT experiment. The intersection of characteristics generates a discontinuity representing one of these phenomena in the inviscid Burgers’ equation. A third spatial derivative term causes one of these phenomena to undergo nonlinear dispersion in the Korteweg–de Vries equation. A class of these phenomena that maintain their shape during propagation are called solitons. These phenomena may undergo steepening when their crests move faster than their troughs. For 10 points, name these oscillatory disturbances that transfer energy through a medium. ■END■
ANSWER: waves [accept shock waves; accept blast waves; accept solitons until read, but prompt afterward; prompt on discontinuity or discontinuities until read by asking “corresponding to what phenomena?”; prompt on shocks or explosions or blasts by asking “what phenomena results from them?”]
<UCF A, Physics> | Packet K - UCF A, Notre Dame B, Durham A, Michigan State A, Swarthmore A, Cambridge B
= Average correct buzzpoint
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