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Q: physics - acoustics ( Answered,   3 Comments )
Question  
Subject: physics - acoustics
Category: Science
Asked by: hava-ga
List Price: $5.00
Posted: 09 Apr 2006 03:17 PDT
Expires: 09 May 2006 03:17 PDT
Question ID: 717014
is it possible to transform sound waves through the body, instead of
through the air ? i heard it is possible. for example, to put your
hand on the source of the waves, and to be able to hear the music in
your ears, with out other people beeing able to. i am talking about a
theoreticle option, not one that has existing technology for.
Answer  
Subject: Re: physics - acoustics
Answered By: hedgie-ga on 09 Apr 2006 19:15 PDT
 
Hi hava

         answer is yes; Sound propagates through gas, like air, and
through liguids and solids as well. Earthqakes are carried by waves which are
similar to ordinary sound. Differences, which depends on eleasticity
of the medium and its density. For this reason, when we think about human body
we should differentiate between bones and soft tissue. The more rigid
materials, such as bones or rocks will propagate the sound better,
faster and
to greater distance. Here are few simple formulaes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_sound

Waves in fluids (such as air or water) are more simple then waves in solids 
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/sprop.html#c1

Speed of sound in water is about 1 km/s - three time faster then in air
Soft tissue of the human body is similar to water. 

 Sonography uses ultrasound to make picture of the inside of the human body,
 of the soft tissue in paticular. Used to monitor pregnancy:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-sonogram.htm?referrer=adwords_campaign=sonogram_ad=020691&_search_kw=sonography

Here are examples of images obtained this way (whole URL below needs
to be pasted into a browser):   [
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&hs=Uu5&client=opera&rls=en&sa=N&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=sonography%20fetus&spell=1&tab=wi
]


Ultrasound are acustical waves with pitch too high for our hearing:

http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/Phys/Class/sound/u11l2a.html

Sound in general
http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/sound/u11l1a.html

Request for clarification (RFC) welcome ; rating appreciated.

Hedgie
Comments  
Subject: Re: physics - acoustics
From: redfoxjumps-ga on 09 Apr 2006 14:26 PDT
 
Remember the person whose teeth happened to pickup a radio broadcast?

The deaf can feel vibrations that their ears can not hear. 

If you put your skull next to a speaker, set very low you may have a
private concert.

Your hand and arm were not designed to tranmit sound. Certain
frequencies are likely to be changed or delayed more than others.

Say you get a transmitter attached to your thumb and a microphone
pickup near your ear.
Then use a frequency generator to run through the scales.

Bet your arm would test different than the next guys.
Subject: Re: physics - acoustics
From: pinkfreud-ga on 09 Apr 2006 14:46 PDT
 
I'm reminded of a blast from the past: The Bone Fone!

http://pocketcalculatorshow.com/magicalgadget/index3.html
Subject: Re: physics - acoustics
From: qed100-ga on 09 Apr 2006 16:42 PDT
 
Go here for something of interest:

   http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a17/a17v.1182126.mov

   It's video of Gene Cernan & Jack Schmitt (the crew of the Apollo 17
lunar module) erecting the American flag on the lunar surface. Cernan
hammers the bottom half of the staff into the soil, and if you listen
*very* carefully, the hammer blows can be heard on the soundtrack.

   BUT... there's no air on the Moon. If you were standing, in your
spacesuit, off to one side, you wouldn't hear a thing. How then can we
hear the hammer blows on the airless Moon? What's happened is that the
blows are rather hard, and the sound has conducted through the man's
arm, up to his helmet and into his microphone, thus being recorded for
posterity. Yes, to one degree or another, sound can be "channeled"
through the human body.

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