Question regarding sound and Earth's rotation

In summary, a new member of the forum asked if the speed of sound would change depending on the direction someone is facing due to the Earth's rotation. The answer is no, as the atmosphere rotates with the Earth. The conversation also mentions the prevalence of the "Flat Earth" idea and a related article about a Muslim cleric claiming the Earth is stationary.
  • #1
Joe Williams
Hi guys, I am new to the forum and I have what is probably a simple question for most of you.
Unfortunately a great deal of people I know have suddenly taken up the idea of a "Flat Earth", and they consistently post things that try to contest that a flat Earth is a far more logical idea than a round one. Now that aside someone recently posted this

"If the Earth is spinning eastwards at 1000mph, and the speed of sound is 768mph, does our speech/hearing change depending on which direction we are facing? Lol!"

Now I assume that this may not exactly be the case due to inertia? (Please correct me if I am wrong) but is there a full explanation as to why this is/isn't true, I tried searching for materials but everything I can find only relates to flight times and Earth's rotation.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks :)
 
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
  • #2
Simple: the atmosphere spins with the earth.
 
  • #4
Welcome to the PF, Joe.

axmls said:
Simple: the atmosphere spins with the earth.

That answers your question, and we do not debunk crackpot ideas like Flat Earth here at the PF (that's in the Rules link at the top of the page under Info). Thread is closed.
 

1. How does Earth's rotation affect sound?

As the Earth rotates, it causes changes in air pressure, which leads to changes in sound waves. This can result in the Doppler effect, where the pitch of a sound appears to change as it moves towards or away from an observer on Earth.

2. Does sound travel differently at different points on Earth's surface?

Yes, due to variations in air temperature, humidity, and other factors, sound can travel at different speeds and frequencies in different locations on Earth's surface. This can also affect how sound is perceived by an observer.

3. How does the speed of Earth's rotation impact sound?

The speed of Earth's rotation does not significantly impact sound in terms of its frequency or pitch. However, it can affect the direction and intensity of sound waves, as well as create the Doppler effect mentioned earlier.

4. Can sound waves affect Earth's rotation?

No, sound waves do not have any significant impact on Earth's rotation. However, earthquakes and other large events can cause changes in Earth's rotation, which can in turn affect sound waves.

5. How does the atmosphere affect sound and Earth's rotation?

The atmosphere plays a crucial role in the transmission of sound waves and also helps to stabilize Earth's rotation. Changes in the atmosphere, such as changes in air pressure and temperature, can affect the behavior of sound waves and the speed of Earth's rotation.

Similar threads

  • Special and General Relativity
Replies
32
Views
1K
Replies
22
Views
832
Replies
30
Views
511
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
8
Views
2K
Replies
24
Views
4K
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
22
Views
3K
Replies
21
Views
2K
Back
Top