Reflection of plane wavefronts of sound from a solid convex surface tends to scatter the sound energy in many directions. The pressure at the face of a perfectly reflecting surface is twice that of a perfectly absorbing surface. The mid/high audible frequencies have been called the specular frequencies because sound in this range acts like light rays on a mirror.Ĥ Angle of Reflection Sound follows the same rule as light: the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
Sound above 300 – 400 Hz is best considered as traveling in rays. Below 300 – 400 Hz, sound is best considered as waves. The image source is located the same distance behind the wall as the real source is in front of the wall. Like a mirror, the reflected wavefronts act as though they originated from a sound image. The diagram shows the reflection of waves from a sound source from a rigid, plane wall surface. As the sound waves encounter obstacles or surfaces, such as walls, their direction of travel is changed, i.e., they are reflected.
1 Reflection, Diffraction, Refraction, DiffusionĪcoustics Reflection, Diffraction, Refraction, DiffusionĢ Reflection of Sound If a sound is activated in a room, sound travels radially in all directions.
