The type of object in question and the angle that the sound pressure wave strikes the object will determine what the sound wave does. All of the sound energy will be captured by the sum of these three actions. For instance, a signal emanating in a particular direction through air will be applying 100% of its pressure energy in that direction. Once it hits an object, the sound will be reflected, absorbed, and/or diffused. If you were to measure the amount of sound pressure energy in all three of these directions, it would add up to 100% of the initial sound energy.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
The Three Options of a Sound Wave
Any sound wave, upon striking an object in its path has the option to do one or all of the following three things: Be reflected, diffused or absorbed by the object.
The type of object in question and the angle that the sound pressure wave strikes the object will determine what the sound wave does. All of the sound energy will be captured by the sum of these three actions. For instance, a signal emanating in a particular direction through air will be applying 100% of its pressure energy in that direction. Once it hits an object, the sound will be reflected, absorbed, and/or diffused. If you were to measure the amount of sound pressure energy in all three of these directions, it would add up to 100% of the initial sound energy.
The type of object in question and the angle that the sound pressure wave strikes the object will determine what the sound wave does. All of the sound energy will be captured by the sum of these three actions. For instance, a signal emanating in a particular direction through air will be applying 100% of its pressure energy in that direction. Once it hits an object, the sound will be reflected, absorbed, and/or diffused. If you were to measure the amount of sound pressure energy in all three of these directions, it would add up to 100% of the initial sound energy.
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3 comments:
i discover that the concave object reflect sound louder than convex object. is this also happen to you tim? and also what age did you start to echolocate.
Good observation, and yes that is definitely the case. Much like a radio antenna or satellite dish, anything that hits a concave surface will be reflected back toward the center of the dish. Satellite dishes in particular are made of something called a "parabolic curve" which is designed to have a "focal point" meaning that anything coming in will bounce off some point on the dish and all the signals will be directed toward one focal point. Any concave object will have a greater or lesser degree of "focus" and will send signals reflecting in toward the center.
Convex objects have just the opposite effect. They scatter signals increasingly farther away from the source therefore the sound is lost in different direction. And remember, sound that is not reflected back to you will not be heard, and therefore will make the object more difficult to see.
I only began echolocation when I started this blog and that was at about age 28.
tnx a lot im 18yrs.old good way to start..
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