system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Sonic Booms

I've never really understood how something travelling faster than teh speed of sound causes a sonic boom.

Secondary, like when man first broker the sound barrier, did the scientists *know* a sonic boom would occur, or was it a surprise and they all were like "WTF was that, did we just break something"?

Thirdly, is a sonic boom guaranteed when something breaks the sound barrier, or do they sometimes not happen?
gpt
One correction to several people in this thread. The sonic boom is NOT made ONLY as the aircraft passes thru the speed of sound. Any supersonic object is CONSTANTLY making a sonic boom.

Just like a boat is constantly making a wave, so too is a supersonic aircraft constantly making a sonic boom. The wave/boom just tends to only hit you once.

To answer OP's third question. Yes, every supersonic object will create a boom. But depending on the size and speed and noise generation, may not be that loud. The crack of a whip is a sonic boom, as the tip of the whip goes supersonic. The zip of a bullet flying by is also a sonic boom.