We present results of experimental investigations of time behavior of an acoustic pulse formed at various regimes of thermal interaction of high-power pulses of CO2-laser radiation and small volumes of an absorbing liquid. A connection between the shape of the generated pressure pulse and regimes of laser radiation interaction with a substance is established. The model of pulsing sphere is applied to interpretation of the obtained dependence of characteristics under study on the laser energy density. The comparison of computed and experimental data is carried out.