Definitely related with shortest wave length. Acoustic waves are mechanical waves (not like radio that are electromagnetic waves) they need a physical mechanical medium to propagate. The lower the frequency of the acoustic wave, the better range they propagate across. You can easily realize the physical medium vibrating at high frequency will require more energy than a lower frequency / less vibration, as the medium needs less changes per time unit to propagate the wave. It is easier if you think on waves traveling on water. Nature and human technology both uses this principle: Sonar, acoustic submarine communication, wales, elephant, all them use very low frequency acoustic sound to communicate in very long distances. For sonar, this is a problem of balancing resolution with distance, the highest resolution wanted the higher frequency you need, but you inversally loose detection distance. Another example are waves used to research the earth core, extremelly low freq, can traverse the whole globe, such as those produced by an earthquake or coming from subterranean explosions. 2007/6/27, Lindy Mayfield : > > It doesn't happen often, but now and again a neighbor some houses down has > a party or for some reason turns up the music really loud. And it's the > worse possible music to pick because it has a very loud bass drum on every > beat. Probably techno. So all I hear is > boom-boom-boom-boom,boom-boom-boom-boom,etc. > > It's worse than Chinese water torture. > > Anyway I was trying to understand why I only hear the bass. Is it because > of the length of the wave that it travels farther or through more things > than the higher notes? I was trying to make a comparison for example > between AM radio waves, FM, and cell phones in the gigahertz range. Or is > it because there is so much more energy in the bass? But then I though how > far away one can hear a mosquito with a high pitch in a room or how far a > piccolo or fife will carry. > > Does anyone have a theory or answer as to why the bass carries so far? At > least thinking about the physics keeps me from going postal. (-: > > Lindy > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- Ariel Rocholl Madrid, Spain -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist