does sound lose its loudness in water?

Answer 1

Sound under water travels at a speed that is five times greater than in the air. One might expect that hearing under water is easier but this is not so. The volume does not depend on the speed of sound; rather, it is dependent on the amplitude of sound waves and on the perceptive capabilities of the audial organs. There are two methods of perceiving sound waves; the first being air conductivity (outer audial opening, eardrum or tympanum, audial bones of the middle ear) and the second being bone conductivity (the vibration of the bones of the skull). Air conductivity is prevalent in the air, whereas bone conductivity is prevalent under water. This peculiarity is due to the fact that the acoustic resistance of water is close to that of human tissues and the loss of energy for the transition of sound waves into skeletal bones is less under water than it is in the air. Air conductivity under water disappears because the outer audial opening is filled with water and there are no conditions for normal vibration of the eardrum. It has experimentally been proven that bone conductivity is weaker than air conductivity by 40%. Consequently, hearing under water is impeded. The distance within which sound can be heard depends on tonality rather than on the volume of sound. Sounds of greater tonality can be heard at greater distances than those of lower tonality. Sounds that are being emitted under water are usually inaudible above the surface of the water and vice versa.

For more details, click these sites:
http://library.thinkquest.org/28170/36.html
http://www.dosits.org/science/ssea/3.htm

Answer 2

The main problem is that almost all the sound approaching water is reflected off the water surface, rather than going into the water itself. That's why you don't hear much noise underwater. If you are swimming underwater, the same thing happens when the sound goes from the water into your ear - in other words you hear even less!

On the other hand there will be some bone conduction through your body to the ear, rather like what you hear if you bite on a piece of wood and then tap it with your finger. You hear the sound going through the wood into the teeth and bones and directly to your ear.

Answer 3

I think its loudness gets reduced when it enters from air into water. However any propagation of energy gets reduced in amplitude (loudness in the case of sound) as it travels farther from the source.

Answer 4

yes. sure it goes fast, even faster through stone or steel but the more dense something is the the more sound it absorbs and the less it transfers.

Answer 5

sounds travels faster in water.