does the wind affect the distance sound waves travel?

Answer 1

Let me state your question several ways.

Does the wind affect how loud a sound is?
Yes.
Wind toward you louder, away from you softer.

Does moving the sound source affect a sound?
Yes.
But only while the source is moving, see wind below.

Does me moving affect a sound?
Yes
Again only while you are moving

Does distance affect a sound?
Yes.
Closer louder, further away softer, bet you knew that one.

Does the wind affect how sound waves travel?
Yes it affects some aspect of the sound.
Like how loud it is or how soft.
Or the pitch, like one end of a piano keyboard compared to the other
But it does not affect HOW they travel.
Sound travels by one atom or molecule hitting another causing the next molecule or atom to move.

That should answer your question, probably more completely than you wanted.

Should you like more information regarding sound, try these sites.
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/kids/Problem_Board/problems/sound/sound_waves2.html
http://scienceforfamilies.allinfo-about.com/features/soundwaves.html
More fun is
http://library.thinkquest.org/19537/java/Doppler.html
Have you machines sound on but not loud.

Hope this lengthy answer was of some help.
Doug

Answer 2

Wind most certainly affects the distance sound will travel. We hear or interpret sound as molecules of air reverberating or bumping into each other. Energy is required to produce the sound by starting the molecules to vibrate in waves. These waves will thin out or dissipate over distance such that eventually we can no longer detect or hear them. The wind adds energy to the equation and pushes sound waves along.

I live 3 miles down-wind from a dirt race track where auto races are held on Saturday nights . . . I can hear the races as if they were a few blocks away. When I drive up-wind two blocks, on a windy evening, you hear nothing!

Imagine if you could trap the sound waves of a whisper in a football and then you throw it 50 yards, the person catches the ball and listens to the whisper, otherwise you are too far away for him to hear you.

That may not be the best analogy but hope that helps you.
Have fun!

Answer 3

Yes. Sound waves are bursts of energized molecules that emit from the source. The farther from the source, the less loud they are because the energy is dissipated. That is, the energy is FINITE and so is distance traveled.

When the wind is blowing, the sound energy must travel upwind like a fish swimming up stream. More energy is spent and the sound fades faster. Therefore, when you are standing upwind of someone (in a strong wind, at a distance) that person is harder to hear than when you are down wind.

Hope that helps.

GN

Answer 4

None of those. The distance a wave will travel depends solely upon the distance between the source of the wave and the first obstacle (or observer) of the wave.

Answer 5

Yes. Most of the sounds we hear travel trough the air. Winds in the direction of the sound carry it further; winds that are opposing the sound, cause it to carry less distance.

Answer 6

yes

Answer 7

YES