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I wondered how powerful air blasters are.

Is it possible for one to be so powerful that the shock wave passes through walls, floors and ceilings? Could it make bumps on metallic surfaces or at least an audible noise, like a pebble falling on it?

The reason I ask, is that I'm trying to debunk a claim that someone is being assaulted by a neighbor through some kind of sound waves or pressure waves. I'm highly skeptical, but I'm trying to figure out a possible mechanism in the eventuality the person is right, and the only reasonable thing I could come up with is a pressure cannon.

Raskolnikov
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  • If it’s used for de-clogging it obviously has more force than a falling pebble. So, yes, it could make a noise on a metal surface, it can potentially dent it (if concentrated enough) and so on. – Konrad Rudolph Jul 15 '11 at 10:55
  • @Konrad: air by itself? no way. If you'd use air blaster to launch something solid, then maybe. – vartec Jul 15 '11 at 11:36
  • Remember that air is essentially a liquid. A solid wall would act as a barrier to the waves. – MathMike Jul 15 '11 at 12:50
  • @Math: a gas, liquids do not compress. – vartec Jul 15 '11 at 13:05
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    @MathMike perhaps you meant fluid, and not liquid? – Beofett Jul 15 '11 at 17:21
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    yes. fluid. I'm going to the penalty box now to feel shame for the next 2 minutes. – MathMike Jul 15 '11 at 18:53
  • @MathMike Well you can cause dents and noises with water, too. The *force* is decisive here. – Konrad Rudolph Jul 16 '11 at 13:50
  • I dunno about the specific type of air blaster that you listed, but a vortex cannon is definitely capable of doing damage using only an air vortex. Here's a video (with an annoying presenter): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyAyd4WnvhU&feature=player_detailpage – Lev Bishop Jul 16 '11 at 18:30
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    Air is matter. It has mass, momentum, kinetic, potential, and heat energy. When I fly, its momentum holds my plane up. Ever see those videos of nuclear bomb blasts? The damage is done by *air* transmitting the energy (and by the light). – Mike Dunlavey Jul 16 '11 at 22:38
  • Well, I don't think anyone is gonna use such a potent cannon in his house to trouble a neighbor. I don't see how he would be able to avoid destroying his own home in the process. But it confirms what I thought, that it's completely fantastic to think something like that is going on. – Raskolnikov Jul 17 '11 at 08:16
  • correct. A shockwave powerful enough to destroy things on the other side of a solid wall is powerful enough to bring down that wall :) – jwenting Sep 28 '11 at 07:32
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    Define "being assaulted". A comment to an answer below seems to presume assulted = knocked over, as in literally being made to fall to the floor from a standing position. If assulted here means something more subtle then it's possible that it's infrasound. – slebetman May 20 '14 at 14:31
  • could a magnetic device do this? – msmucker0527 May 20 '14 at 15:10

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Given the reason for your question, I'd suggest an air vortex cannon as another device that could be used to that effect.

On that basis, I will answer yes — air vortex cannons can knock over brick walls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyAyd4WnvhU#t=141

BenRW
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    The question is about a weapon that can knock someone THROUGH a wall, not knocking over a wall, if you wanted to knock a wall why just not use a shell ? – BlueTrin May 20 '14 at 14:19