IStoCk
sines & Wonders
The Science
of Sound
I
by Carol blackburn, Phd
f a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? This
classic conundrum arises because we use the word “sound” to refer to two different
things: (1) sound waves, and (2) the sensations our ears hear. The first is straight
physics, while the second is a biological system’s interpretation of physical phenomena.
The science of sound begins with the physics of waves, then—like a wave—radiates out to include the physics of musical instruments, sensory biology, and higher
cognitive functions. Here are a few steps into this vast and intriguing terrain.
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - March/April 2013