The Shape of Sound

By -
In Diane Ackerman's description of sound she says that sound is air molecules that move in waves that begin with the movement of any object. These waves enter the outer ear which is like a funnel and vibrates the eardrum, the hammer, anvil and stirrup bones (the tiniest bones in the human body) which press fluid in the inner ear triggering the cochlea hairs which signal nerves. However, there is one misconception present very early on in this explanation. Sound does not simply travel in waves. Instead sound travels in spheres. Scientist John Stewart Reid was the first to officially introduce this new understanding of sound. Here is an excerpt from his writing on the subject:

"Sound in air is the transfer of periodic movements between adjacent colliding atoms or molecules. This sonic energy typically expands away from the site of the collisions as a spherical or bubble-shaped emanation, the surface of which is in a state of radial oscillation.
The sonic bubble expands and contracts with the same periodicities as the initiating sound source. The accepted model of sound waves is incomplete because it uses the graphical representation of the mathematical law of sinusoidal energy, typically given as amplitude in the vertical axis versus time in the horizontal. While this is correct in terms of graphical depiction, it is not how the energy actually moves through space."

More accurate depiction of sound as a sphere frozen in a moment in time, and cymatic cross-section

There is science that studies sound called cymatics. Cymatics is able to more accurately offer a visual representation of sound, and from this science were are beginning to learn more about the complexity and power of sonic vibration not only as a sensory experience but also on the level of vibration that we cannot not consciously perceive. In this way sound may in some way be connected to a 6th sense type of experience. 

If you are interested in learning more or would just like to watch cool and accurate visual representations of sounds from drums, om chanting and more check out these links:



To read more about sound as a sphere here is John Stewart Reid's article: http://www.cymascope.com/cyma_research/physics.html

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 11, 2015 at 7:15 PM

    This is so cool! I really like the visuals

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amidst the Pandemic

By -
Image
I think having the opportunity to take Smells and Bells and then experiencing a worldwide pandemic came with good timing. Oftentimes, we’re so rushed to get from one one place to another that we miss out on what happens around us. We’re so accustomed to the lifestyle of being busy that it has become the norm for many of us. However, the pandemic has forced us to slow down. We’re now appreciating everything that we had previously taken for granted and noticing things in our surroundings that we have never noticed before.  Take this quarantining/social distancing as an opportunity to be more aware of what you experience through the senses. I don’t think my senses have necessarily heightened over the past 5 weeks, but I am actively making the choice to pay more attention to what I see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. I like going on nature/mindfulness walks and basking in the sunshine out in my backyard. This morning, I could hear a faint noise from the wind, hear the birds chirpin...
Read more

Food in the Afterlife

By -
Image
In Religion in the Kitchen: Cooking, Talking, and the Making of Black Atlantic Traditions , Perez talks of Ashabi and her grandchildren providing food offerings to their ancestors. This immediately reminded me of the practice of food sacrifice in early China. I've taken Chinese language classes for about 7 years now and in one of the lessons, we learned about food as well as the history of food in Chinese culture. Ashabi and her grandchildren would give food offerings to their ancestors every day. This included nine beverages (coffee, liquor, and water mixed with sugar and molasses) and nine square pieces of coconut topped with red palm oil and guinea pepper. The offerings would also include whatever food was dropped on the ground. In their house, food dropping on the floor signified more than it would in common American households. It signified that the ancestors wanted that food and had willingly made it fall to the floor. They also used dishware that had been chipped which was...
Read more