Can anyone help...? A while ago, I heard that what a person speaks, ... goes on forever... perhaps in space?

Question

I'm not sure if I am in the right Categorie...? I'd appreciate any help, thankyou*

Answer 1

you need air (or some other substance) for the soundwaves to travel through, so it wouldn't make it past the atmosphere. Besides which, friction would soon disperse the energy of your voice so it would become undetectable, which is why it gets harder to hear someone the further away they are.

Answer 2

Yes. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Once you speak, the sound waves will indeed dissipate. But the energy that the sound wave lost, was picked up by something else, and the "something else" that picked up the energy will eventually give up the energy to something else, and that something else will take the energy use it for yet another thing, and so on and so forth, forever. The energy has to go somewhere, it can't be destroyed, it can't just dissappear magically. There is a never ending transfer of energy, kinetic to thermal, chemical or electrical and to others that we might know exist. The energy might be stored for a while or might be active, but it can't ever just "leave" the universe. The universe is a huge closed system. The real puzzling question is... where the energy came from that let you speak.

Answer 3

Sound is a disturbance in a medium, usually a type of vibration. To disturb a medium you need energy. If the energy is limited, as the disturbance passes through the medium friction of moving particles decreases the energy until it dissipates.

The energy of speaking comes from the movement of air across the vocal cords, with words being formed by changing the shape of the throat and mouth. The energy used to talk is limited so that the sounds waves have limited distance.

In terms of sound in space, since space is a vacuum, there are no particles to be disturbed. Thus there is no sound in space. This is a flaw in most scifi movies where you hear the space ship explode.

Answer 4

No. Physically what happens to the sound of your voice is that it get absorbed by the materials around you or dispersed over large areas. You don't have to worry about having them travel forever.

However, metaphysically or spiritually or psychologically, your words do "go on forever" in the sense that they make an impact on yourself or the people around you or your God or god or spirits or demons, or whatever you believe in. That's not physics, though. That belongs in the Spirituality or Psychology section of YA. Still, think about it. Once you've said something to someone you really can't "take it back". It's had its impact and the outcome of those words could continue for years. So one should always be careful what one says. Saying things in the heat of anger can be very bad.

Answer 5

I believe that what might have been meant by that stament is that wha t we say can go on forever by repeating of many other people. Such as the philosphers statements that atre continually repeated or words of wisdom. Like my children when it comes to my philosphy about muy grandchi;ldren which I got from my mom nad her mom, grandma gets to spoil them and send them home to their mom and dad. The older ones know it well and tell their spouses that is my right. something simple but and example. Sorry abetter example woiuld be the words of Jesus and our
FAther in Heaven they will go on forever being repeated by every believer forever.

Answer 6

Words are powerful and life and death are in the power of the tongue. Believe it, your word can change the situations you are in.Try it..Go tell your husband or wife how much you love them and watch what happens, they'lldo anything for you but on the other hand to tell them you hate them would crush and break their heart. Use your words wisely because many have even lost their life because of saying the wrong words..And even in heaven when people stand before God, they will be judged on every idle word they said while on this earth..Something to think about..

Answer 7

I agree with outrage. There are probably a lot more than 2 Biblical Refs, but here are a couple which when followed to
their logical conclusions agree with your proposition.
Mark 11;23 , Proverbs 18;21, Matthew 24;35, Mark 13;31,
Luke 21;33



I Cr 13;8a

Answer 8

James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

James 3:5-11 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)

5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

Answer 9

In theory this is true, sound waves can go on forever (air is not needed), but its like throwing a pebble in the ocean. The rings it creates can theoretically can go on forever but in reality they only go out so far until they run out of energy. Its the same with sound waves, they run out of energy at a certain point.

Ok, to set the record straight, you DON"T need air for sound to travel... sound can travel through a liquid (sonar through water) or through a solid (put your ear to a wall).

For sound to be heard though, you do need air. Hearing is a vibration of the air molecules around our ears.

Answer 10

It is actually a Biblical Statement, there are Two references that I know of......But I can't remember where they are ! Perhaps someone can find them.