Book 14, Question 34
Why Does Cupping Your Hands Behind Your Ears Help You Hear?
Cupping your hands behind your ears helps you hear because it makes your ear funnel bigger! More sound waves get gathered and aimed into your ear canal. It can boost the sound a little, especially from in front of you.
More fun facts
- Bigger funnels, like cupped hands or an old ear trumpet, collect more sound waves.
- Collecting more sound helps you hear better.
- The outer part of your ear is called the pinna.
- Bats, which use sound to find their way in the dark, have large ears for their size.
- Many animals, like dogs, move their ears to hear better.
Sources: Scientific American, BBC
Questions kids ask
Why do bats have big ears?
Bats rely on sound to get around in the dark, and big ears catch more sound.