Book 14, Question 86
Why Is It Hard to Tell Where a Sound Is Coming From Underwater?
Underwater it is hard to tell where a sound comes from, because sound travels so fast! The time difference between your two ears becomes tiny. Your brain gets confused about the direction.
More fun facts
- People hear with an air-filled ear canal that ends in an eardrum, which vibrates when sound arrives.
- Underwater, your whole skull vibrates, so both ears vibrate together.
- That makes it really hard to tell where a sound is coming from.
- In whales, the ear bones are separated from the skull, so each ear works on its own.
- These floating ears let whales find where sounds come from underwater.
Sources: National Geographic, Scientific American, Science News Explores
Questions kids ask
q
a