The sound carries less far when it rains because the water droplets absorb some of the sound energy and create interferences that attenuate the sound propagation.
When it rains, lots of tiny droplets of water fall through the air. These droplets reflect and scatter sound waves, much like a ball bouncing off many small obstacles. As a result, a good portion of the sound goes in all directions instead of traveling straight to your ears. This effect is called sound diffusion. The larger and more numerous the droplets, the stronger this reflection is, and the faster the sound diminishes with distance. That's why we hear distant noises less clearly when it's raining heavily.
When the air becomes very humid, it contains more water molecules, which directly absorb part of the sound waves. In fact, every time sound travels through this moisture-laden air, a small portion of its energy is lost: it is transformed into heat, barely perceptible. This loss of energy makes the sound gradually weaker at the same distance, compared to drier air in which it would travel better. Certain frequencies, especially higher-pitched sounds, particularly suffer from this absorption, which creates the impression that the voice carries less far when it rains.
The temperature and density of air directly influence the propagation of sound. When it rains, the air generally cools down, which increases its density. Denser air changes the speed at which sound travels and thus limits its range. Essentially, differences in temperature create layers of air with varying densities, and when sound passes through these layers, it can be bent or weakened. As a result, sound loses intensity and does not travel as far as it does through warmer, less dense, homogeneous air.
The falling rain generates a constant background noise as it hits various surfaces such as the ground, leaves, and buildings. This noise partially masks other sounds, acting as a sort of acoustic curtain, thereby reducing their perception. The human ear struggles to distinguish distant noises because they blend into the continuous hum caused by the raindrops. The heavier the rain, the louder the ambient sound becomes, making it more difficult for distant sounds to stand out clearly.
The wind diverts and distorts the trajectory of sound waves. When it blows against the sound, it slows its progression, which decreases the range of a noise. Conversely, when the wind blows in the same direction as the sound, it helps carry it further. The atmospheric turbulence caused by rain creates "chaotic zones," where sound waves bounce and lose their energy. As a result, the sound quickly becomes diffuse and loses intensity, making it less audible from a distance.
Did you know that classical concert halls precisely control their humidity levels? Indeed, excessive humidity absorbs high sound frequencies, thereby altering the acoustic quality.
Some animal species, such as elephants, use infrasound, which are very low-frequency sounds that we cannot hear, to communicate over long distances even in the rain or in a humid environment.
Did you know that during World War I, special listening devices called "acoustic ears" were used to detect enemy aircraft? Fortunately, rain and bad weather conditions reduced their effectiveness against the enemy!
A phenomenon called the "Lombard effect" drives humans and animals to instinctively raise the volume of their voices in a noisy environment or during heavy rain in order to be better heard.
Under moderate rain, human sounds are generally clearly audible up to a few dozen meters at most; after that, their clarity decreases rapidly due to acoustic attenuation caused by the raindrops and atmospheric humidity.
The wind can both aid and hinder the propagation of sound depending on its direction. A wind blowing toward the listener can slightly increase the range of the sound, while a headwind disperses and dilutes the sound, reducing its range.
Sure! Here’s the translation: "Yes, heavy rain produces a greater number of large droplets, thereby increasing the dispersion and attenuation of sound waves. Light rain generates fewer acoustic disturbances, but still slightly affects the distance over which sound travels."
Snow also influences sound propagation, and its effect can sometimes be even more noticeable than that of rain. Fresh snow acts as an absorbing layer, significantly reducing sound reflection and limiting their propagation over distance.
During the night, the air near the ground cools down and creates conditions favorable for sound propagation by reflecting it downward. In contrast, during episodes of rain, the raindrops scatter and absorb sound waves more, reducing the range of sound.
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