Sound Transmission: Glass vs. Wood Doors

[ananthu]

Homework Statement

when people speak inside a closed cabin with glass doors, sound is not heard outside where as with wooden doors it is heard outside. What is the correct explanation? Is it because, sound is not at all transmitted through glass, or, absorbed by the glass? What is the exact mechanism involved?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[mgb_phys]

Glass doors are almost airtight so you need the sound to be transmitted into the glass and then from the glass back into the air. The efficency of this transfer is something like the difference in density squared (not really but in simple terms) so very little energy gets into heavy glass and out again.

The wooded door probably doesn't seal well so the air (an the sound in the air) can go through the gaps. Also the air will couple to the light wood better

 

[kerimek]

The difference in sound transmission between glass and wood doors is due to their different acoustic properties. Glass is a hard and rigid material, whereas wood is softer and more porous. When sound waves hit a glass door, they are reflected off the surface, similar to how light is reflected off a mirror. This means that very little sound is able to pass through the glass and into the surrounding environment. On the other hand, when sound waves hit a wooden door, they are able to penetrate the surface and be absorbed by the material. This absorption reduces the intensity of the sound and allows it to travel through the door and be heard on the other side.

The exact mechanism involved in sound transmission through materials is complex and depends on various factors such as the density, thickness, and surface texture of the material. In the case of glass, the sound is mainly reflected off the smooth surface, while in wood, it is absorbed and transmitted through the porous structure of the material. Additionally, the thickness of the glass or wood can also affect the amount of sound transmission. Thicker materials will absorb or reflect more sound than thinner materials.

In conclusion, the difference in sound transmission between glass and wood doors is due to the materials' acoustic properties, with glass being a better reflector and wood being a better absorber of sound waves.