Why does the world become very quiet when it snows?

Why does the world become very quiet when it snows?

When it snows, the whole world seems quiet. You may think it has something to do with human factors. Because people don't often go out when it snows, the noise stays indoors, which has nothing to do with the whiteness outside. However, there are scientific reasons for this silence.

"Actually, snow absorbs some sound waves," said meteorologist bernadette Woods Pracchi. Pracchi said that when snowflakes pile up, there is a big gap between them.

When sound encounters a loose and empty structure like snow, it will be reflected to energy loss many times in the gap, so it cannot continue to spread. Compared with the water surface with a small gap, sound can be reflected on the water surface and can continue to spread. )

Moreover, the colder the weather, the more fluffy the snow becomes, the bigger the gap is, and the stronger the sound absorption effect is.

"When forecasting snowfall, meteorologists will convert the snowfall into water with the same depth," Pracchi explained. "At 0 degrees Celsius, 1 inch of water is equal to 10 inch of snow; When the temperature becomes minus six or seven degrees, 1 inch of water equals 15 to 20 inches of snow. This means that the snow becomes more fluffy and there are more gaps to absorb sound. "

Of course, in addition to this physical phenomenon, other factors also play a role, such as fewer people staying outdoors in winter; During or after snowfall, traffic will also decrease; Other animals (such as birds) don't go out often, and snowfall makes their living environment colder and more difficult to feed.

Although continuous snowfall can greatly reduce the volume of the whole world, Pracchi pointed out that if there is a snowstorm, such as the strong snowstorm that is hitting the northeastern United States, the world will not be quiet.

But when the howling cold wind passes and new snow falls, snowflakes will continue to absorb sound waves. The earth became quiet again, like a tamed kitten.