Scientists crack the case of "screeching" Scotch tape
Micro-cracks travel along the peeling tape at supersonic speeds, producing shock waves and sound pulses.
TL;DR
- The screeching sound of peeling Scotch tape is caused by shock waves from micro-cracks moving at supersonic speeds.
- The phenomenon was confirmed by simultaneous high-speed imaging of fractures and sound waves.
- The cracks create a temporary vacuum that moves with them until they reach the tape's edge.
- Each time a fracture tip reaches the edge, it generates a sound pulse, resulting in the screech.
- Scotch tape was invented in 1930 by Richard Drew and has been popular ever since.
- Peeling tape can also produce light (triboluminescence) and has been shown to generate X-rays in a vacuum.