Reflection and Origin of Sound

When a sound wave strikes a surface such as a floor, wall, or ceiling, the direction of travel is changed by reflection. Reflection of sound waves follow the same physical law as light reflection. The angle of the incidence equals the angle or reflection. As sound waves move they interact with physical objects. Soft surfaces will absorb sound while hard surfaces will reflect it. Hard surfaces reflect sound and soft surfaces absorb sound.

Leonardo Da Vinci and Galileo experimented with sound waves and their properties. The establishment of just who was first to discover the theory of sound reflection is a little enigmatic. Things that vibrate a lot, such as car engines, can make a tremendous noise; they sound louder because the sound waves they generate carry more energy. The amount of energy carried by a sound wave is called its intensity. Sound waves of higher intensity are louder to our ears.

Reflection is the change in direction of a wave front at an interface between two different media so that the wave front returns into the medium from which it originated. Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water waves. Mirrors exhibit specular reflection. The reverting of light or sound waves in the same medium, when it falls on the plane, is called reflection.  Conversely, in refraction, the ray falling on the plane travels from one medium to another. In reflection, the waves bounce off the surface. Thus reflection and origin of sound interact with sound waves.