What Happens When a Gong Is Hit With a Baseball Traveling at 1,189 MPH?

Will it break?
Derya Ozdemir

A gong is a traditional percussion instrument originating in East and Southeast Asia: It's basically a flat, circular metal disc that is typically beaten with a mallet to announce the start of something or the arrival of an Emperor or other important political and religious figures.

You probably have a distinct sound appearing in your mind when you think about it; however, have you ever wondered what a gong would sound like when hit with a baseball traveling at a 1,189 mph (330.2 km/h)? Probably not. But here's the answer for it anyway.

In this video, the host of the YouTube channel Smarter Every Day shows off his giant air cannon build, which was a massive undertaking that enables him to study how things move at supersonic velocities, and launches a baseball faster than the speed of sound to see what would happen if it collides with a gong. If you're curious to see how this one goes, make sure you watch the video embedded above, and as always, enjoy.

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