can air make a sound

[wilsonian]

g/f and i had a bit of a tiff about air making sound.... god knows why it just came about! lol

my argument was that air doesn't make a sound unless put under presure (air currents, friction etc) were her argument was air carries sound not produces it.

my question is, if two diferent directioned air curents colide do they make a sound (to the human ear of other wise)?

[Punky]

i think that if the two air currents were currently carrying a sound, then when they met, a new sound would be formed from the 2 opposing noises. air does not create sound, it is simply the transport medium for sound waves. i think.

[evildoc614]

i dont think air really carries sound i think it can make a sound. i dont think air makes a sound when added to more air?!?!? if that makes sense

[ACiD303]

been a while since Ive done physics, I think air is just the medium for sound.

A bit annoying because I have done this b4 in school and I cant remember!

[Russ]

Sound is carried by the, well vibrations traveling threw the air, air itsekf, does not, and never will make a sound

[Iain]

Sound is created by air interacting with another object. Since sound (as we detect it) is just the vibration of air against our eardrum then it is air that creates a sound. So, air does not carry sound as sound itself is just a movement of air. That's why there's no sound on the moon, there's no air to create a sounds with.

[wilsonian]

but at the same time wouldn't air make a sound if you put it under pressure? like the hishing noise you get for a airosole can?

what about dog wistles? these make sounds that the human ear can detect but it's still sound. and if i remember correctly there is no ball in a dog wistle it's just air put under pressure......


argghhh confusing! lol

[eldren]

Ignoring the debate of whether air carries or creates sound...

What we perceive as sound is the vibration of molecules against our eardrums - said molecules do not have to be air (Think water, etc). That said, if the medium is caused to vibrate at a frequency our ears can perceive, and it comes into contact with our eardrum, we would hear sound.

If two air currents colliding causes some of the molecules to vibrate, and said molecules came into contact with our ears, then yes, we would hear sound.

If, in the release of a high-pressure medium into an ambient pressure enviroment causes vibration of the medium, and it were to come into contact with our ears, then yes, we would hear sound.

Whistles are shaped to cause air moving through them to vibrate, producing sound. Dog whistles produce sound mostly in a frequency above what we can hear. However, by the definition, it is still making sound.

Yes?

[Donny John]

What about a Sonic Boom? isn't that air making a sound?

[Elmo]

air doesnt make sound. what eldren said is correct. Sound is the vibration of molecules. Sound is mearly energy. ie. You hitting a metal bar uses energy, that energy is then turned into movement in the form of vibration, that vibration is transferred into the molecules in the air and these vibrations travel along every molecule to ur ear which then vibrates on ur ear drum and you hear "sound".

As has been said before, air is just the medium in which "sound" vibrations travel. Hence no, you wouldnt hear sound on the moon as there's no air for the vibrations to travel along.

[Bindibadgi]

Originally posted by Donny John
What about a Sonic Boom? isn't that air making a sound?

No that's just compressing air till you release a force through it "ripping" through the compression. Something like that. Air doesnt carry or make noise, it simply translates it unless compressed or moved = friction and pressure differences.

[Donny John]

I think air does make sound, like the pop or bang you hear when bursting a Balloon, that's the sound of air expanding rapidly

[Elmo]

ITS THE SOUND OF ENERGY! argh, u'd think no one had done physics!

you cant MAKE or DESTROY energy, it is conserved. therefore, air cannot MAKE sount, it is the result of another form of energy changing to sound.

[Gr44]

Air does not make sound, it carries sound from other thing, if i SPEAK the sound will be in the air, air its self does not make sound, it appears to make sound because it hits other objects and as Elmo said energy is transferred into other forms.

afink

[Donny John]

If a transfer of energy within the air is described as sound, then the air is still making sound (in Laymans terms) is it not?

[Elmo]

no.

air doesnt make sound. As i said sound = energy, energy cannot be made. and that IS in laymans terms.