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Scotch Tape's Screech Explained by Shockwave Research

2/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

The University of Science and Technology of China researchers explain that Scotch tape’s screech arises from shockwaves produced by supersonic fractures in the adhesive.
They used ultra-high-speed cameras and microphones to observe fracture speeds of 250 to 600 meters per second, and the brief vacuum pockets that collapse to generate weak shockwaves.
The study, published in Physical Review E, shows these shockwaves, not elastic waves, primarily generate the sound.

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Story summary

The University of Science and Technology of China researchers explain that Scotch tape’s screech arises from shockwaves produced by supersonic fractures in the adhesive.
They used ultra-high-speed cameras and microphones to observe fracture speeds of 250 to 600 meters per second, and the brief vacuum pockets that collapse to generate weak shockwaves.
The study, published in Physical Review E, shows these shockwaves, not elastic waves, primarily generate the sound.