If a tree falls on my foot, and I am deaf, does it still make a sound?

Question

I’m looking for the difference between acoustic energy and sound.

Answer 1

Of course it makes a sound, you won't hear it because you're deaf.

You might feel things shaking and stuff.  

Answer 2

If a tree falls in a jungle, and there is no one miles around, does that tree still make a sound. Yes, no doubt, just b/c there is no one to hear it does not mean tree didn't make a sound.

Similarly there is no doubt tree falling on your foot would make a sound. Somebody who is blind is unable to visualize or see the sun, but it doesn't take away the fact, that sun as an entity exists. Hence in this scenario 'sound' as an entity exists but only limitation is acknowledgment. Existence of an entity and it's acknowledgment and calibration are two separate issues.

The question somebody who is deaf will be able to hear that sound no. Then simply he/she is not deaf.

The definition of somebody who is deaf is taken as somebody who is unable to hear, for what ever reasons. In other words something is hindering or blocking the information, which therefore can not be processed.

It's like asking someone who is blind to tell us what red looks like, in the same way a deaf person would not be able to hear, but depending on the limitations, might be able to process the vibrations, hence feeling rather than hearing!

I think more informed answer can be given by an expert in the field or somebody who has some knowledge of physics.  

Answer 3

Yes, it does.  You're the only one who can't hear it.  The guy on your left sees it falling and jumps back, thus hearing the tree fall.  Although you can't hear your own scream it is heard by the guy on your left who did not see the tree falling and was thus totally startled by the gut-wrenching banshee screams coming out of you that he wet himself.

Unfortunately this guy was carrying the picnic basket which he inadvertently soiled prompting his wife to say, "Can't you do anything right Harold!" which IS a sound, albeit unpleasant.

Answer 4

Not to you, but to the tree you will make a strange wolf like snarl.  

All sound has waves of energy, just not every wave of energy can be heard as sound.  The energy waves are there you just can't hear them.

Answer 5

If it falls on TD's foot if will be the vibration of a poetic energy, although no sound, the acoustic will be felt, in more ways than one!  Cheers!!

Answer 6

Only if Helen Keller were standing about 10 feet away.

Answer 7

Doesn't it just vibrate your foot and therefore is not a sound? Sound is vibrating sound waves which requires ears that can hear for sound to exist.

Answer 8

I think you'll certainly hear the scream you utter as you're passing out! It will reach in tremors all the way from the base of your crushed foot.  Perhaps that's acoustic energy, of maybe just the sound of a silent scream.

Answer 9

Sound is a vibration that travels through an elastic medium as a wave. The speed of sound describes how much distance such a wave travels in a certain amount of time. In dry air at 20 °C (68 °F), the speed of sound is 343 m/s (1235 km/h, or 770 mph, or 1129 ft/s, or approximately 5 seconds per mile).

Although it is commonly used to refer specifically to air, the speed of sound can be measured in virtually any substance. Sound travels faster in liquids and non-porous solids than it does in air.

In general, the speed of sound c is given:



where

C is a coefficient of stiffness

ρ is the density

Thus the speed of sound increases with the stiffness of the material, and decreases with the density. For general equations of state, if classical mechanics is used, the speed of sound c is given by

c = the square root of C over P

Acoustics and noise

The scientific study of the propagation, absorption, and reflection of sound waves is called acoustics. Noise is a term often used to refer to an unwanted sound. In science and engineering, noise is an undesirable component that obscures a wanted signal.

So to answer to your question...YES it does; and so do you (even if the noise of your screaming is unwanted) unless you are mute too.

Answer 10

Yes, and you will, too - deaf or not....a sound somewhat like this..aaaaargh!!!

Answer 11

it never fails to amaze me why people think this is hard...sound is sound waves, a physical phenomenon, it does not need an observer to exist. so yes, it still make s a sound.

Answer 12

Do you know that Beethoven was so deaf that he thought he was a painter?  

Answer 13

i agree you can feel the vibrations.But i personally like the sound my neck bones make,creak, seems like i hear it from the interior.Or when i chew it sounds clearly better than for others that would hear it.If your eardrum is affected you can still hear sounds by intercepting vibrations with your schelet or mouth through the eustachian tube and middle ear:D But simply if you are deaf you can't hear it.The sound exists because the person which would be near you would hear and react.

If you do think it's all in your head and that we don't exist then i'm responding to non other than my imagination/dream.

why do farts exist? so deaf people can enjoy them.

Answer 14

Well, I know that I got punched in the face once, and regardless of the impacting sound it made, I could hear it within my body.  So maybe a deaf person could hear the sound of her body being struck and injured.

Answer 15

Perhaps. But it will surely squish your foot.

Answer 16

The acoustic energy will travel up your body and send vibration to your Cochlear Nerve and probably create a "sound-like" impression for you. You will certainly hear yourself yell!

If I take the batteries out I am deaf. (that's if you don't count the roaring wind and the cicadas chorus)  

Answer 17

Batman, the deaf cat says yes it does. (I swear he can hear sometimes!)

Isn't it more that you "feel" acoustic energy?

Being deaf, you also can't hear your own cry of pain, but you certainly can feel it.

Answer 18

Well sound is all vibrations. So technically, yes because as a deaf person you would feel the vibrations. Just not in your ear.  

Answer 19

the tree will THUD, the foot will crunch

and others will hear you scream a bunch

of gutty swear words.  I hope this helped.

Feel free to call for medical advice on the foot...Oh wait, you're deaf, so you will hear them in your mind's ear.