During a baseball game, the sound of the bat hitting the ball can be heard in most parts of the stadium. That sound is weaker at greater distances. What is the cause of this phenomenon?(1 point)
The phenomenon of the sound of a bat hitting a ball being weaker at greater distances in a baseball stadium can be explained by the principles of sound propagation and the inverse square law.
When the bat hits the ball, it creates a sound wave that radiates outwards in all directions from the point of impact. The sound wave consists of compressions and rarefactions of air molecules, which our ears perceive as sound.
As the sound wave propagates through the air, it spreads out in a widening pattern, forming a spherical wavefront. This means that the same amount of sound energy is distributed over an increasingly larger area as it travels away from the source.
According to the inverse square law, the intensity of sound decreases in proportion to the square of the distance from the source. This means that for every doubling of the distance, the sound energy is spread out over four times the area, resulting in a decrease in intensity.
In the case of a baseball stadium, when the bat hits the ball, the sound wave travels through the air to reach different parts of the stadium. As it travels, the sound wave loses energy due to the spreading out of the wavefront caused by the spherical spreading and the inverse square law.
Therefore, the sound of the bat hitting the ball becomes weaker at greater distances in the stadium because the sound energy is dispersed over a larger area, leading to a decrease in intensity as it travels away from the source.
The phenomenon of the sound of the bat hitting the ball being weaker at greater distances in a baseball game can be attributed to the property of sound known as attenuation. Attenuation refers to the gradual decrease in the intensity or loudness of a sound wave as it travels through a medium, such as air.
There are several factors contributing to this phenomenon. Firstly, as the sound wave propagates through the air, it spreads out and undergoes a phenomenon called spherical spreading. This means that the sound wave expands in all directions as it travels away from the source, resulting in a decrease in the intensity of the sound.
Secondly, the air acts as a medium with resistance, often causing the sound wave to lose energy through absorption and scattering. Some of the sound energy is absorbed by the air molecules as the sound wave passes through, reducing its intensity. Additionally, air molecules can scatter the sound wave in various directions, further decreasing its intensity over distance.
Lastly, the presence of obstacles such as people, structures, or the shape of the stadium can also contribute to the weakening of the sound. These obstacles can act as barriers, blocking or reflecting the sound waves, preventing them from reaching certain areas of the stadium.
In summary, the weakening of the sound of the bat hitting the ball at greater distances in a baseball game is primarily due to the phenomena of spherical spreading, attenuation through absorption and scattering in the air, and the presence of obstacles that hinder the propagation of the sound waves.