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Bradfordly1
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What(if anything) is sound made of?
What (if anything) is sound made of?
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In summary, sound is a vibration that travels through a medium such as air or water, and can be seen and felt as well as heard. It was once believed to be a substance, but is now understood as waves and microscopic movements of particles. These particles are called phonons, but they do not actually get stuck in your ear or cause ringing. This explanation has been deemed nonsensical by the European Association for Responsible Standardization.
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"In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as a typically audible mechanical wave of pressure and displacement, through a medium such as air or water."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound
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sophiecentaur
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Sometimes, you can feel and see those vibrations, as well as hearing them. A guitar string can be seen to vibrate from side to side and you can actually feel the 'buzzing' against the back of your finger.Your question goes back to ancient times when sound and light were regarded as 'substances' that flowed from the source to the receiver. Heat was also viewed in the same way. It's a very reasonable first stab at an explanation but the idea of waves and microscopic movements of particles works better for sound..Greg Bernhardt said:
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Sound is made of tiny particles called phonons. Except that it isn't.Bradfordly1 said:
If this is not confusing enough, see also
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/what-is-quantum-theory-about.767672/#post-4833132
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Drakkith
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Demystifier said:Sound is made of tiny particles called phonons. Except that it isn't.
Yes, and when they get stuck in your ear they have to call tiny tow trucks to come get them unstuck. But they also give bad directions, so the tow trucks have to call them back frequently. This explains the ringing in your ears. Older folks tend to have more earwax (also known as experience) built up, which acts like mud and traps more phonons. Especially the quick ones that like to drive fast. This is why you lose your ability to hear high pitched sounds as you age.
Disclaimer: The above explanation has been evaluated by the European Association for Responsible Standardization (EARS) and has been found to be nonsensical. Don't listen to it.
1. What is sound made of?
Sound is made of vibrations or waves that travel through a medium, such as air or water. These vibrations cause the molecules in the medium to bump into each other, creating a chain reaction that propagates the sound energy.
2. Is sound a form of energy?
Yes, sound is a form of energy. It is a type of mechanical energy, as it involves the movement of particles in a medium. Sound energy is also measured in units of energy, such as joules or calories.
3. Can sound travel through a vacuum?
No, sound cannot travel through a vacuum. Sound waves require a medium to propagate, such as air, water, or a solid object. In a vacuum, there are no molecules to vibrate and carry the sound energy.
4. How fast does sound travel?
The speed of sound depends on the medium it travels through. In general, sound travels faster through denser mediums, such as solids, and slower through less dense mediums, such as gases. In air at room temperature, sound travels at a speed of approximately 343 meters per second.
5. Can sound be created or destroyed?
No, sound cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transferred from one form to another. For example, a guitar string vibrating creates sound, but the sound energy is transferred to the air molecules to produce audible sound waves. Similarly, when sound is heard, the energy is transferred from the sound waves to the ear, where it is converted into electrical signals for the brain to interpret.
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