Do sound waves have sizes?

268 views

Further elaboration: I’m wondering if sound waves have sizes in the same way that the electromagnetic spectrum does. Like how visible light can’t reflect off viruses because they are too small. Is it like that with sound?

In: 1

6 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Yes they do! The lower the sound the longer the wavelength.

>Like how visible light can’t reflect off viruses because they are too small. Is it like that with sound?

Very much, the same thing happens with sound. What the sound waves can pass through or reflect off of depends on the size of the thing relative to the wave, just like with light.

Example: You are outside a club or bar and can hear the bass thumping, or you hear the muffled sound of music through a closed door. Why does it sound like that? Why are all the high-pitch sound waves blocked, while you can still hear the low-pitch parts through the wall or door? In both those cases, the low-pitch waves have a wavelength that is big compared to the door or wall thickness, so they can pass through. High-pitch soundwaves are “smaller” (aka shorter wavelength) than the wall’s thickness, so they get absorbed or reflected and don’t make it to you on the other side.

You are viewing 1 out of 6 answers, click here to view all answers.