2006-09-04 18:10:55 · 10 answers · asked by strokke 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
ear plugs are not really that solid. They have lots of tiny air bubbles in them. Also solids transmit sound faster then air but the sound has to be transmitted directly to the solid. Here is a good example of Sound speeds thru different mediums:
http://www.lucinda.net/k6science/sound/sd_q_a.html
2006-09-04 18:14:04 · answer #1 · answered by CaptKert 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fast does not mean loud.
Imagine something like this...
(1) you run across a field while carrying a tablespoon of water. The water gets across quickly, but only a little gets across.
(2) you walk across a field instead. The water gets across slowly, but most of it gets across.
Fast = large speed.
Loud = Large amplitude
Loud also means that more energy has been transferred to you.
Ear plugs work because they reduce the energy that gets transmitted to your ears. This is basically because sound travels to your eardrums via air. When you introduce a barrier like an ear plug, what happens is that the some of the sound wave gets reflected upon reaching the ear plug. So there is some loss here. When the sound travels through the material that is used to make the ear plug (eg rubber), some of the energy goes towards increasing the temperature of the rubber (the rubber "absorbs" some of the energy) when the rubber molecules vibrate. When the sound wave exits the ear plug, there is again reflection (this time within the ear plug itself).
2006-09-04 19:16:28 · answer #2 · answered by clon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great question :-)
Although sound travels faster through solid material earplugs are made of soft spongey material which tends to absorb sound. In other words the surface outside the ear is vibrating with sound but the softness means the inside surface is not vibrating much at all.
2006-09-04 18:14:51 · answer #3 · answered by teef_au 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Much like the dampeners on cars work. Same priciple: All you are doing is taking energy out of a system. Sound waves are just presure differences in the air moving in a direction. In this case, the ear plug acts as a dampener, taking the pressure differences in the air, and lessening it before it reaches you ear
2006-09-04 18:57:28 · answer #4 · answered by Will 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The speed of sound has nothing to do with it. Ear plugs are made out of an elastic material that absorbs sound vibrations and converts them to heat. An example of how this works: take a rubber band, and quickly stretch and relax it a number of times. You will note that it gets warmer.
2006-09-04 19:29:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
in maximum situations, sound travels quickest with the aid of solids (inflexible solids it is), next quickest with the aid of drinks and ultimately slowest with the aid of gases. it fairly is all approximately propogation of sound waves and how they are able to disperse and attenuate. inflexible solids, extraordinarily very inflexible metals for occasion enable stable propogation and the atoms at the instant are not that cellular interior the crystaline like matrix that makes up the forged. Gasses on the different hand encompass relatively cellular molecules unconnected to a minimum of one yet another in any respect so propogation is impaired. there is likewise extra room between molecules subsequently extra affecting propogation. drinks are section way between sturdy and gas and for the sake of simplicity you could interpolate between the two.
2016-11-24 22:14:44 · answer #6 · answered by hape 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
spongey material that isn't as tight as most solids.... I didn't think that sound traveled fastest through a solid. I thought it was the air..
2006-09-04 18:13:44 · answer #7 · answered by pro_steering_wheel_holder 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They are spounged. solid - air - solid.
2006-09-04 18:12:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
fastest transmitted doesn't necessarily mean most transmitted.
2006-09-04 18:16:52 · answer #9 · answered by s_e_e 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
their spungee
2006-09-04 18:12:40 · answer #10 · answered by suhpisis 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋