if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around does it make a sound?

Question

if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around does it make a sound?

Answer 1

yes, it does.

Answer 2

No. It will produce, as does everything, waves (vibrations) in the air. But it will only exist as sound waves, not what we really mean when we say "sound." Sound is these waves as they are interpreted by the ear of a conscious, non-deaf being. If there is no non-deaf being present, the waves are not interpreted and eventually they die out. Therefore, it would not make a sound. Also, if there were only a deaf being around, it would not produce a sound for the same reason.



Really, you can get philosophical about it and say that if someone is around, it makes a sound, and since the person has nothing to do with it, it ought to still make the sound. However, I'm merely addressing the physics of the thing.



Hope that clears this up for you.



(I copied this answer from where I answered the same question a few months ago. This is my own answer, though.)

Answer 3

Yes. Sound is a compression wave, and how such compression waves are formed is well understood. Our ears are capable of detecting such compression waves in air, water and other materials once the waves have formed. But the waves have to exist before our ears can detect them. They exist when the physical events that are known to cause them occur, whether someone is there to detect them or not. Your question is equivalent to asking "does the wind cause waves in the ocean, even if there is no-one there to see them?". Or, does the sun shed light upon the earth when I am in an underground cave?

Answer 4

A falling tree creates vibrations in the air (as well as some damage on what it falls on). Vibrations in the carrier medium are not sound. Sound is when someone perceives those vibrations and therefore hears sound.

Answer 5

Yes. This question makes no sense. I don't understand why people get so "stumped" --pardon the pun-- by it. Of course it makes a sound. It's a tree. It has weight. Of course it's going to make a sound.

Answer 6

Yes.

Answer 7

no it doesn't. sound is an interpretation of vibrations in the ear that go into you ear canal. its kinda hard to understand but i literally just went over this with my science teacher

Answer 8

Yes, it sure does.