xpietoe42 t1_j5jifkb wrote on January 23, 2023 at 1:28 PM

Is sound affected by gravity? How would propagation of sound alter?

Bipogram t1_j5kd2vd wrote on January 23, 2023 at 5:04 PM

Only three qualities alter the speed of sound.

The mean molecular mass (ie, what the gas is made of) and temperature (and the ratio of specific heats, gamma). Pressure has no effect on speed of sound, but (of course) the density of a gas will dictate how much acoustic energy may be found.

Gravity influences the density profile of a gas, but that's all.

rexythekind t1_j5jxafr wrote on January 23, 2023 at 3:21 PM

That's an interesting question. I don't think sound itself is affected by gravity, but the medium thru which sound travels is. So, I'd guess, for a given medium, more gravity means more compression means more density, ergo sound propagates differently if the medium is more dense. Right? So, whatever increased density does to sound is your answer, I'd think.

Nrksbullet t1_j5k10ej wrote on January 23, 2023 at 3:46 PM

If a tree falls in a vacuum, does it make a sound? I'd imagine not, so I guess sound doesn't exist at all without the medium to propagate it?

GolfballDM t1_j5ka9ol wrote on January 23, 2023 at 4:46 PM

If you were not touching the surface of whatever body the tree fell on, it would not make a sound.

If you were touching the surface of the aforementioned body, there would be a sound. Sort of. You'd feel it through your feet (or whatever part of you was touching the surface), as opposed to hearing it through your ears.