2006-08-19 14:44:49 · 14 answers · asked by Delbabez 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
Walter E got it. The tree just makes a vibration, not sound. The human ear would translate the vibration into a sound. So, if there no one to translate the vibration into sound then the tree would only make a vibration, it would not make a sound. We can debate this though, first we would need to define; "Vibration" and "Sound".
2006-08-19 14:54:18 · answer #1 · answered by Snaglefritz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If there is not a person there to hear it, in all likelihood, there will be an animal, bird or insect of some sort who can detect and hear it. If there is no living thing in the animal world to hear it, then the sound waves or vibrations have the potential to alter things a distance away, but that would not constitute sound as most people interpret it.
This question is good in that it emphasizes to people the importance of defining their terms.
2006-08-20 11:37:13 · answer #2 · answered by finaldx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course it does. You are asking the question as if the presence of humans are required for something to take place. A sound is made even if no one actually hears it. Besides, there are lots of animals in a forest that have ears too.
2006-08-19 21:52:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on your view of reality.
If you have an objective view of reality, that reality exists "out there" independent of your perception of it or your interaction with it, then the tree makes a sound, because independently of you, the tree has a certain mass, falls at a certain velocity, strikes surrounding trees and eventually the ground with a certain force which converts to a certain amount of energy, a certain percentage of which is sonic energy, a certain percentage of which lies within human beings' audible range.
If you have a subjective view of reality, that reality does not exist out there, i.e. independent of you, then the tree does not make a sound. Realilty generally and the tree specifically only exists by virtue of and to the extent of your perception of it and/or your interaction with it. In fact, subjectively, all that exists is your sensory experience, for that is all you can, strictly speaking, know.
2006-08-19 23:17:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My teacher in 6th grade asked me this! Yes; it makes a sound, but there's just no one there to hear it. As far as sound is concerned, anything that makes noise and has wavelength, speed, and amplitude of a "sound" is sound. So, it's too bad no one was around to hear it, but about sound the noisy tree made? It's definetely soun and you must give that credit to the tree! Respect the tree's idea of noise! : )
2006-08-19 23:10:24 · answer #5 · answered by flit 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well DUH!!of course it does!if a tree falls and you and you hear it what difference does it make if your not there??it is still a tree falling!it definitely makes a sound it just so happens a person isn't there to hear it
2006-08-19 22:25:14 · answer #6 · answered by Hannah HaYwIrE!?1♥ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Something only becomes a sound if someone or something is there to hear it.... if there is nothing there to recieve the sound it will just stay vibrations in the air.
2006-08-19 22:31:44 · answer #7 · answered by dark_tonberry 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you mean whether anyone hears it, the answer is no. But if you define sound as vibration caused by something, the answer is yes, there is an "unheard" sound.
2006-08-19 21:51:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
nope. simply put...without ears and eardrums and all that good stuff...there are just happy little waves rippling around. its our ears that hear.
so no. without ears to hear it. the tree would not make a sound.
2006-08-20 02:54:44 · answer #9 · answered by lighting goddess 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course it does. sound is real and not only in the ears of the person hearing.
2006-08-19 21:58:26 · answer #10 · answered by HMG M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋