Does sound travel further through cold air?

[Siva]

I was standing outside work, and I noticed that I could hear wind chimes from across the lake, maybe 1/2 mile away... Now maybe that's not extraordinary, but I can't remember hearing them during the summer. Things just seem to sound different when it is cold outside. Maybe it was just cause the lake was frozen.

Well, um, does sound travel further through the cold air or is it my imagination?

 

[Wanescotting]

Look here

Third result on GOOGLE btw

 

[Siva]

ok, i see speed of sound, but i can't find any links that reasonably relate temperature to volume or attenuation...

 

[imported_Zeke]

the idea is is colder air particles move slower, and so sound waves travel better through them

 

[Analog]

Cooler air = more dense, better transmission. Also, the wind might have been in your direction? That helps.

 

[imported_Zeke]

also, the lake being frozen/no animals around would have cut down on the ambiant noise

 

[SandInMyShoes]

I don't know about WARM VS COLD and attenuation, but with summer comes more foilage, which *really* increases attenuation.

 

[artikk]

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Cooler air = more dense, better transmission. Also, the wind might have been in your direction? That helps.

the wind doesn't effect the speed of sound.

 

[imported_Zeke]

Originally posted by: russianpower

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Cooler air = more dense, better transmission. Also, the wind might have been in your direction? That helps.

the wind doesn't effect the speed of sound.

russians = good at the science

 

[artikk]

Originally posted by: Zeke

Originally posted by: russianpower

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Cooler air = more dense, better transmission. Also, the wind might have been in your direction? That helps.

the wind doesn't effect the speed of sound.

russians = good at the science

americans=good at figuring things out.

 

[kaizersose]

i would think that sound would travel faster on warm days. since warmer air can hold more moisture and since sound travels faster through water, a warm, humid day would have the highest speed of sound.

 

[biostud]

Originally posted by: russianpower

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Cooler air = more dense, better transmission. Also, the wind might have been in your direction? That helps.

the wind doesn't effect the speed of sound.

but maybe the range at which it can be heard