Yes, an object can reach or exceed the speed of sound in a given medium. The speed of sound, also known as Mach 1, is the speed at which sound waves propagate through a particular medium, such as air or water. The speed of sound in air at room temperature is approximately 343 meters per second (about 767 miles per hour or 1,235 kilometers per hour).
When an object moves through a medium faster than the speed of sound in that medium, it is said to be traveling at supersonic speeds. If the object reaches exactly the speed of sound, it is traveling at Mach 1. If it exceeds the speed of sound, it is traveling at a speed greater than Mach 1, and it is referred to as supersonic.
Reaching or exceeding supersonic speeds presents certain challenges, particularly in the case of aircraft. As an object approaches and exceeds the speed of sound, it encounters an increase in aerodynamic drag and encounters a phenomenon called "shockwaves." These shockwaves can cause significant increases in drag, vibrations, and noise, which is often associated with a sonic boom.
A sonic boom occurs when an object moves through the air at a speed faster than the speed of sound, and the shockwaves coalesce into a single, intense shockwave. The sonic boom is heard as a loud noise on the ground, and it's one of the reasons why supersonic flight over land is restricted in many countries.
Despite the challenges, several aircraft, such as military fighter jets and certain commercial airplanes, have been designed to travel at supersonic speeds. Additionally, there have been experimental and research aircraft that have exceeded supersonic speeds and even achieved hypersonic speeds, which are speeds significantly greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound). Hypersonic speeds present even more complex engineering challenges due to the extreme heat generated by the air compression at such high velocities.