Standing waves and acoustic heating in a one-dimensional resonator filled with chemically reacting gas, is the subject of investigation. The chemical reaction of A → B type, which takes place in a gas, may be reversible or not. Governing equations for the sound and entropy mode which is generated in the field of sound are derived by use of a special mathematical method. Under some conditions, sound waves propagating in opposite directions do not interact. The character of nonlinear dynamics of the sound and relative acoustic heating or cooling depends on reversibility of a chemical reaction. Some examples of acoustic heating in a resonator are illustrated and discussed.

Dynamics of a weakly nonlinear and weakly dispersive flow of a gas where molecular vibrational relaxation takes place is studied. Variations in the vibrational energy in the field of intense sound is considered. These variations are caused by a nonlinear transfer of the acoustic energy into energy of vibrational degrees of freedom in a relaxing gas. The final dynamic equation which describes this is instantaneous, it includes a quadratic nonlinear acoustic source reflecting the nonlinear character of interaction of high-frequency acoustic and non-acoustic motions in a gas. All types of sound, periodic or aperiodic, may serve as an acoustic source. Some conclusions about temporal behavior of the vibrational mode caused by periodic and aperiodic sounds are made.

Weakly nonlinear sound propagation in a gas where molecular vibrational relaxation takes place is studied. New equations which govern the sound in media where the irreversible relaxation may take place are derived and discussed. Their form depends on the regime of excitation of oscillatory degrees of freedom, equilibrium (reversible) or non-equilibrium (irreversible), and on the comparative frequency of the sound in relation to the inverse time of relaxation. Additional nonlinear terms increase standard nonlinearity of the high-frequency sound in the equilibrium regime of vibrational excitation and decrease otherwise. As for the nonlinearity of the low-frequency sound, the conclusions are opposite. Appearance of a non-oscillating additional part which is a linear function of the distance from the transducer is an unusual property of nonlinear distortions of harmonic at the transducer high-frequency sound