What is Sound ?
(Answer for Adults)
Sound is a properly interpreted perception of a physical vibration of the air, or other physical media that can carry vibrations, in the audible range.
Three Components Needed for Sound:
1) Vibration of air, or other physical media that can carry vibrations, in the audible range.
2) Ear to perceive the vibration.
3) Brain to properly interpret the perception.
The old question: “If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one to hear it, does it produce a sound?”
1) The tree does make a vibration of the air, likely in the audible range, but does not, necessarily, make a sound.
2) If this vibration is recorded by analog or digital media, at the time of play-back for human ears, then the recording would make a reasonable facsimile of the sound.
3) As animals also have ears and brains, any animal near the tree-fall would likely expeience a sound.
Editor’s Note: This Science question was answered by
Glenn A. Walsh, who served as Astronomical Observatory Coordinator and a Planetarium Lecturer at Pittsburgh’s original
Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mr. Walsh also served as a Life Trustee, on the Board of Trustees, of the
Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania in the late 1990s, including one year as the Library’s Treasurer.
Today, Mr. Walsh is Project Director of a not-for-profit organization,
Friends of the Zeiss, which through a weekly blog, web sites, and public observing sessions with telescopes educates the public in Astronomy and Space Sciences.
Friends of the Zeiss also works for the preservation and continued functionality of the historic equipment and artifacts of a pioneer in the history of the development of planetaria and museums of the physical sciences, Pittsburgh's original
Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, including the
Zeiss II Planetarium Projector, now the oldest operable major planetarium projector in the world !
Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer & Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
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Internet Web Site Master Index for
the History of
The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science,
Pittsburgh
Other Internet Web Sites of Interest
History of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, Pittsburgh
History of Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, Chicago
Astronomer, Educator, and Telescope Maker John A. Brashear
History of Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Libraries
Historic Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh
Disclaimer Statement: This Internet Web Site is not affiliated with the
Andrew Carnegie Free Library,
Ninth Pennsylvania
Reserves Civil War Reenactment Group,
Henry Buhl, Jr.
Planetarium and Observatory,
The
Carnegie Science
Center,
The
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh/Carnegie Institute,
or
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
This Internet, World Wide Web Site administered by Glenn A.
Walsh.
Unless otherwise indicated, all pages in this web site are --
© Copyright
2016,
Glenn A. Walsh, All Rights Reserved.
Contact Web Site Administrator: <
FAQsound-adult@planetarium.cc >.
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