2007-05-12 17:04:07 · 8 answers · asked by juggalokennyd 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Increased Distance
Reduced Amplification (volume)
Lower tone (reduced wavelength - slow speed playback)
Dispersion or Baffling (directly or indirectly)
Lastly: Plugging your ears.
2007-05-12 18:17:03 · answer #1 · answered by Stratman 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's called the inverse square law. What it means is that as the sound spreads from the source, it has to cover a larger area.
At 1 foot from a source on the ground, the sound is spread over half a sphere, with a surface area of 2/3 *pi*radius squared, or 2/3 *pi square feet. 2 feet away, the area is four times (2 squared) as much; 3 feet away, it's 9 times, and so on. The sound energy spreads out to cover more and more area, so the intensity (which is the amount of energy hitting your eardrum or microphone) becomes less and less. The same happens with light, or radio, or any other energy that spreads out in all directions.
2007-05-12 19:31:25 · answer #2 · answered by DT3238 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Expansion and entrophy.
Acoustic waves expand as they radiate and thus the same energy is spread over a larger area. That lowers the energy density, hense intensity.
Also energy is absorbed from the sound wave by the medium it travels through and is then disappated as heat into the enviornment, thus also decreasing the energy of the sound wave.
Also as sound waves bounce off surfaces they also lose energy to the surfaces, disappated in the form of heat.
2007-05-12 19:45:10 · answer #3 · answered by Radzewicz 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
distance from the origin of the sound, insulating material in the air/on the walls... manythings cause the intensity to decrease
2007-05-12 17:12:19 · answer #4 · answered by zippo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its called inverse square law. everytime you double the distance your sound pressure level decreases by 6 dB. Go to google, type in "sound pressure level" then "inverse square law"...it is pretty simple once you get how it works. these things i know! the mental working of the female will always be a mystery.lol
2007-05-12 17:16:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I guess someone turned the volume control down!
As sound leaves its source and expands it fills a larger and larger space with the same energy so the energy density goes down and the sound is softer.
2007-05-12 17:26:37 · answer #6 · answered by sx881663 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Intensity is inversely proportional to the distance from the source.
2007-05-12 17:15:19 · answer #7 · answered by Helmut 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the doppler effect
2007-05-12 17:10:56 · answer #8 · answered by quackpotwatcher 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋