Why can’t we harness the vibrations in the air (sound) to make electricity?

Answer 1

In a way, we do. People talk into a phone all the time. Announcers on TV talk into microphones. The problem being, there is not enough energy in the sounds waves to cause large amounts of electrical energy. The mic in a phone or on a stage or even in a radio studio has whatever sounds the membrane turns into electrical signal immediately amplified before it can be used to be recorded or sent through a speaker or whatever. But, the amplifier is usually powered by some other electrical source like power from an outlet or batteries. And yes, a speaker converts electrical energy back into sonic energy.
Now, in order to get a transducer or microphone to generate usable amounts of electrical energy, I think it would have to be a really big big source of sound. Even bigger than something like a jet engine, but there again the jet engine would be using more energy than was ultimately created by the sound.

Answer 2

In essence, that's what a microphone or telephone does. The problem is that it generates such a tiny amount, that it's not useful for anything.

Vibrating air doesn't carry much energy. Moving air (wind) has more, and there are some places that use windmills to generate electric power. Sea tides are another possible energy source.

The problem is that these alternate sources do have harmful effects. Windmills kill a large number of birds every year, and dams to harness tidal power would interfere with ocean life.

Answer 3

One can and does. The heat content of air is nothing more than thermalized (dissipated) phonons (the quantum of acoustic vibration). Heat drives the winds, and windmills turn it into electricity. For fundamental thermodynmic reasons, heat energy cannot be turned into into work energy (by the mill) unless there are temperature variations around the glode to drive the wind. The sun's energy makes sure that is always the case.

Answer 4

We do, this is exactly what a microphone does and the reverse of a speaker.

A broadband radio reciever can harness electromagnetic vibrations and deliver electic or mechanical energy.


Granted, transformation of energy is usually not without a cost - inefficiencies of tranmission plus inefficiencies of transformation
add up to a lot of noise to light a room. Maybe, better a soft whisper to light up a heart.

~S~.

Answer 5

Remember that "vibrations" equal waves of energy.

Take the time and do a little research on "Tesla". Wikipedia.com may be a start

Answer 6

We do something that's similar, it's called a windmill...

Answer 7

We can and do....What you just described is called a microphone.

Answer 8

Try to invent it.
Th

Answer 9

Not enough energy.