A big hall has a very long reverberation, and the words of a speaker are hard to understand…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A big hall has a very long reverberation, and the words of a speaker are hard to understand. The owner puts thick curtains on the walls and seats with soft cushions. Why does this help?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
An echo travels to the reflector and back: . A separate echo needs at least (a wall at least away in air). SONAR uses ultrasound in sea water, about .
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Reverberation is sound reflected again and again from hard walls, so each word lingers into the next.
Step 2. Curtains and cushions absorb much of the sound instead of reflecting it.
Answer: fewer reflections, so each word fades quickly and speech is clear.
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