Is Sound Energy or a Force?

[benzun_1999]

Dear reader,

Is sound Energy or a force? I am confused.

 

[STAii]

Sound itself is a wave.
Actually, it is a wave that needs a medium to go through (unlike Electromagnetic waves).
Now the wave itself carries energy, since the wave is movement of the atoms/molecules making up the medium.
And when one atom moves the one next to it, you have a force (normally, the transportation of energy involves forces between the objects/atoms/molecules/particles in which the energy is moving).

 

[eNtRopY]

Sound is a mechanical wave; therefore, its fundmental unit is a phonon. Phonons like photons are a form of energy. Sound is energy.

eNtRopY

 

[brum]

yeah but is sound energy (like how light is energy)?



how are sound and light waves different? what makes 'em different?

 

[eNtRopY]

Originally posted by brum
yeah but is sound energy (like how light is energy)?



how are sound and light waves different? what makes 'em different?

Sound requires a mechanical medium. It is a wave packet of energy in the form of physically displaced medium. In other words it requires something to vibrate. Without a medium, like air or metal or some other material, sound does not exist.

Light requires no medium. It is a wave packet of energy in the form of oscillating electric and magnetic field.

eNtRopY

 

[FZ+]

Sound is basically a way in which kinetic energy is transmitted by compressional waves. It isn't "energy" exactly, but rather a transfer of energy. It is generally thought that EVERYTHING contains energy. Perhaps even empty space is filled with energy.

Light is composed of photons, which are wavepackets. This is a case of a transverse wave of force fields propagating each other, rather than "things" moving and vibrating. Hence it's generally apt to consider photons as quanta of pure energy.