Why can we hear sound on the lower end of the spectrum clearer through walls but the higher stuff is blocked?

Question

My parents are listening to 70s music downstairs and I can hear the drums and basslines but not anything else unless I open the door.

In: Biology

Answer 1

As you know solids (Ex: A Wall) are just a bunch of atoms vibrating very slowly. We can think of them as obstacles. When a lower sound is produced, the sound wave is “shallower” than a higher sound. Think of it like valleys vs mountains. This means that if it attempts to bypass the solid wall, there is less of a chance it will collide with atoms, meaning more of the sound wave gets to your ear.