Conversation so far:
why is there a noise when you break the sound barrier
A sonic boom is the sound associated with the shock waves created whenever an object travelling through the air travels faster than the speed of sound.
how do sonic booms affect people
Sonic booms due to large supersonic aircraft can be particularly loud and startling, tend to awaken people, and may cause minor damage to some structures.
how did society counter the negative effects of the sonic boom
The negative impact of sonic booms led to prohibition of routine supersonic flight over land.

Question: what is the duration of the boom
Self-contained rewrite: what is the duration of the sonic boom