Do sound waves get bigger when they bounce off a wall?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of sound waves and their behavior when reflecting off walls, particularly in a corner setting. The original poster seeks to understand why their voice sounds louder in such a scenario, prompting exploration of concepts related to wave behavior and sound propagation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore whether the increased loudness is due to sound waves bunching up or the effects of wave interference. Questions are raised about the role of the wall's position and the nature of sound waves in this context.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants offering various perspectives on the role of echoes and wave interactions. Some suggest that the phenomenon may involve constructive interference, while others question the relevance of wave behavior altogether. There is no explicit consensus, but multiple interpretations are being examined.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the importance of the environment, such as the presence of soft furnishings and the distance of sound travel, which may influence the perception of loudness. The original question's phrasing suggests a need for a deeper understanding of sound wave properties.

JazzyJones
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Homework Statement


The questions states,
"If you speak while standing in a corner with your face toward the wall, you will sometimes notice that your voice sounds unusually loud. Explain."

The Attempt at a Solution


Is this because the sound waves are bunched up when they bounce off the corner? Or is it the corner that causes the sound waves to intersect with each other and get larger by following the superposition principle?
 
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Hi JazzyJones! :smile:

I don't think it has anything to do with waves …

isn't it just, where is the sound coming from (with or without the walls)?
 
tiny-tim said:
Hi JazzyJones! :smile:

I don't think it has anything to do with waves …

isn't it just, where is the sound coming from (with or without the walls)?

I don't understand what you're saying.
 
You can just stand close to a flat wall and hear your voice louder than usual simply because the echo is from an unusually short distance and with no soft furnishings to absorb it. Obviously, standing in a corner gives you two lots of close echo, so that's a possible answer. But from the qualification "you will sometimes notice", I suspect they want an answer which does involve the wave nature of sound. You mention intersections of waves. What happens when waves from different point sources intersect?
 
haruspex said:
You can just stand close to a flat wall and hear your voice louder than usual simply because the echo is from an unusually short distance and with no soft furnishings to absorb it. Obviously, standing in a corner gives you two lots of close echo, so that's a possible answer. But from the qualification "you will sometimes notice", I suspect they want an answer which does involve the wave nature of sound. You mention intersections of waves. What happens when waves from different point sources intersect?
wont the waves create a constructive interference if their peaks line up, generating a louder noise?
 
JazzyJones said:
wont the waves create a constructive interference if their peaks line up, generating a louder noise?
Yes, I think that's what they're after.
 

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