Why can't we see around corners yet we can hear around corners?
Doesn't it have to do with diffraction and wavelength, and the difference between sound wavelength and light wavelength?
http://www.scienceclarified.com/everyday/Real-Life-Chemistry-Vol-4/Diffraction.html
thanks so much!!
We cannot see around corners because light travels in straight lines and does not bend around obstacles. When light encounters an object, it either reflects off of it or is absorbed by it. Our eyes receive the reflected light, enabling us to see the object. However, when an object obstructs our line of sight around a corner, the light from those objects does not reach our eyes because it cannot bend or go through solid objects.
On the other hand, we can hear around corners to some extent because sound waves can diffract or bend around obstacles. When sound waves encounter an obstacle, such as a corner or a wall, they can partially wrap around it, allowing us to hear some sounds that are not directly in our line of sight. This phenomenon is known as diffraction.
To hear around corners, we rely on the ability of sound waves to diffract. This can occur when the wavelength of the sound wave is comparable to, or smaller than, the size of the obstacle. As a result, sound waves can bend and reach our ears even if the sound source is not visible from our position.
Overall, the reason we can hear around corners but cannot see around them is due to the fundamental differences between light and sound and how they interact with obstacles in our environment.