Posted on 03/25/2007 11:50:01 AM PDT by blam
It seems intuitive that the wind would blow sound to us, like smells.
The difference being, of course, that while wind is a carrier of smells, it is a medium for sound. In the first case it provides transportation for smell particles, while in the latter it allows propagation of sound waves. These are two different things, so the intuition is mistaken. You can really see the difference in the two if you think about what happens when the air is perfectly still. In that case, the smell goes nowhere (well, it does disperse by diffusion but that's a different process) whereas sound will travel at the speed of sound.
However, it is far from obvious when you look at the physics...
Yep, and in fact I think the physics is pretty clear that wind would have a negligable effect on the loudness experienced by the listener, since as you point out
Sound travels at around 1100 ft/sec whereas a good breeze is 30 ft/sec.
I think the bottom line is that when the article says that
Later writers have speculated that the excellent acoustics of Epidaurus, built in the fourth century BC, might be due to the prevailing direction of the wind...
you pretty much have to conclude that those writers were mistaken in their speculations.
But here's my own speculation -- I think the wind, if it did have an effect, would be to slightly change pitch of the sound rather than its volume.
I'm thinking that sound waves travel better in cooler, denser air, and this was before global warming.
Thanks for your response and input. I hazard an explanation in post #10, which you might read.
Your willingness to share information, educated opinions and career/avocation experiences is admirable beyond any words of praise I can summon.
Leni
Thanks and I agree...I learn so much. There are some smart FReepers here.
Agreed. Ever since discovering FR I are much smarter.
Leni
I know nothing about physics, but there is more to it than that I think. There is a gun range a mile south of my home. When the wind is blowing from the south, the sound of the gunshots is significantly louder. I can hear them loud and clear indoors with all my doors and windows closed. I does seem odd that a 20 mph breeze, for instance, would make that much difference, but it does.
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Just updating the GGG info, not sending a general distribution. |
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