Heat transfer & sound transfer

In summary, the reason why a softly whistled sound can be heard clearly throughout a room instantly, while burning something for a few seconds has little effect on the temperature in another corner, is due to the different ways in which sound and heat are transferred. Sound travels quickly through compression waves in the air, while heat is transferred through convection and conduction, which are much slower processes. Additionally, humans may be more sensitive to changes in sound volume compared to changes in temperature.
  • #1
yasar1967
73
0
If I stand at the corner of a largely room with a room-temperature and burn something with flames for few seconds, it'll hardly change the temperature of the other corner far away.
Yet, If I whistled event softly it could be clearly heard at any point in the room -instantly-.

Each phenomena occurs due to the disturbance of air molecules and the kinetic energy is carried away (by waves??). So how come the effect of the later is much sharper?
Is it because humans are more sensitive to sound-change(volume) than thermal change?
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #2
-thermal energy would travel to the other side of the room through convection currents in the air mainly in the example given
-the sound would travel 'directly' to the other side of the room although dispersed radially in the air
-if your room was filled with solid the heat transfer would rely on the conduction of the heat and the heat would travel in a similar way to the sound I think
-it could also have something to do with the relative energies? Heating something for a few moments in any reasonable sized room wouldn't prove a noticeable difference in energy to heat the other side of room (especially in the bottom corner as heat rises) whereas in a small cupboard you would definitely feel the heat on the other side if someone had a lighter out for a period of time.
- Also heat is probably absorbed better by the surrounding walls whereas more sound energy will be reflected to the observers ears
- and your probably right, we are probably more sensitive to sound than heat (but then again what does that mean 'more sensitive'? Relative to what on what scale haha)
-also you said the sound can be heard instantly, your were probably just exaggerating on purpose for effect, I'm sure you know that it's not instantly just the speed of sound in air which over small distances is very quick, but not instant
Just my thoughts, I'm only an a level student so it's probably all wrong
 
  • #3
Even in a solid, and even if you induce a "thermal wave", this is critically damped and will die over a distance given by the diffusion length.
Whereas sound propagates through waves, the heat is transferred by diffusion which is much slower. Unless there is some convection which will speed up the transfer but still way below the speed of sound. .
 
  • #4
Yes. As nasu indicates, the fundamental physical mechanism for heat transfer is completely different from the physical mechanism for sound propagation. Sound is the result of compression waves in the air that propagate spatially very rapidly. Heat is transferred by convection and conduction, which are much slower transport processes.
 

1. What is heat transfer?

Heat transfer is the process of thermal energy being transferred from one object or substance to another. This can occur through three main mechanisms: conduction, convection, and radiation.

2. How does conduction occur in heat transfer?

Conduction is the transfer of heat through direct contact between two objects or substances. This occurs when the molecules of one object vibrate and collide with the molecules of the other object, transferring thermal energy.

3. What is convection in heat transfer?

Convection is the transfer of heat through the movement of fluids, such as air or water. This occurs when heated particles rise and cooler particles sink, creating a circular motion that transfers heat.

4. How does radiation work in heat transfer?

Radiation is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves. This can occur through empty space, allowing heat to travel from the sun to the Earth, for example. Objects also emit and absorb radiation, which affects their temperature.

5. What is sound transfer?

Sound transfer is the process of sound waves traveling from one location to another. This occurs through the vibration of particles in a medium, such as air or water. The speed and intensity of sound can be affected by the properties of the medium it is traveling through.

Similar threads

Replies
5
Views
998
Replies
6
Views
982
  • Advanced Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
594
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Thermodynamics
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
23
Views
1K
  • Differential Equations
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
20
Views
929
Replies
7
Views
7K
Replies
1
Views
819
Back
Top