What causes clapping to be so loud with our hands, but not anywhere else in our body?

Question

Why is it that when we smack our hands together its loud? But not like then you smack two other parts of your body? Whats on our hands that causes it to be so loud?

lol already smacked sum butt. sounds lout but really not the answer i was looking for lol.

Answer 1

Are you sure?
Perhaps it is the shape of your hands, the way air pockets are caught between the palms each time you clap, while other parts of your body may be less rigid and therefore conform to the shape of your hand more easily, trapping less air.

Smack a butt someday. You will be surprised to know what loud sounds can result from it.

Answer 2

We need understand first of all that "Sound" is nothing but a travel of pressure wave.(To give an example recall a fighter aircraft flying in the near by airfield and crossing the speed of sound and you hear "sonic boom") When you clap or shout loudly all you are doing is to generate a series of pressure waves out of entrapped air which you are unable to do with any other part of the body as effectively as we can with hands or mouth.

Answer 3

i think it has to do with the way you cup your hands cuz if you notice, if you clap with ur hands flat, the sound is as if you slapped your leg but the more u cup your hand, the louder the sound.

Answer 4

Just a guess: Are there pores on palm of our hands? Looking at mine it doesn't seem like there are. Maybe the pores absorb the noise and the palms, because they have fewer pores or no pores at all reflect the sound better.

Take care!

Answer 5

obviously you've never been smacked in the butt... [or smacked someone in the butt]

Answer 6

it's the shape that makes it work. you have a concave part in your palm that will help resonate sound