Theoretical perfect Newton's Cradle (where does the sound really come from?)

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The discussion centers on the sound generation mechanism in a theoretical perfect Newton's Cradle. It concludes that sound arises from the vibrations of the spheres during collisions, which cause oscillations that vibrate the surrounding air, creating sound waves. The sharpness of the sound is attributed to the superposition of multiple frequencies occurring over a brief time interval. The conversation emphasizes the complexity of combining idealized concepts, such as perfect spheres, with real-world physics, particularly atomic interactions.

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If the spheres of a Newton's Cradle were perfectly spherical I assume "contact" would be some minimal distance between the outer electrons of one atom of each sphere? Pulling one sphere back and releasing would result in a modest plastic deformation and subsequent minimal distance between more electrons? Anybody got a good explanation for where the sound really comes from?
 
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I've always thought that the sound waves come from vibrations of the spheres as a result of the collision. The sphere oscillations cause the surrounding air to vibrate thus generating sound waves that reach your ear. The characteristic sharp sound suggests the superposition of many frequencies over a relatively short time interval.
 
You're making it more difficult than necessary by combining ideal concepts like "perfect sphere" with nitty gritty real life like atomic spacing. The picture shows a scan of a "perfect" steel surface. To make your life easier, stick either with the "ideal" or the "real" and don't try to mix the two.

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