If a tree fell in a forest, would it make a noise if no one were to hear it?

TuesdayViolet | 20:57 Mon 02nd May 2011 | Science

42 Answers

A tree in a forest falls down, theres no one in the forest of nearby at all.
Does the tree make a sound?

Me and my boyfriend are arguing about this one.
I say it doesnt make a sound because the sound vibrations cant travel that far.
for example, music is playing. If you walk away it gets quieter until you cant hear anything.
If a bird was 10 miles away from that tree it would hear a thud, because of the vibrations
what pick up.

But he thinks that it would still make a noise..
but how could it if the vibrations have no where to travel?

Why are fundamental particles the same?

chemistry of life

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2fanriffic

It makes a sound if you define sound mechanistically as vibrations in the air. eg,if i rigged a mechanism to let the tree fall at a pre arranged time then cleared all animal life for miles around but beside the tree i left a recording device (tape recorder, or similar) what do you think would be recorded? silence or the sound of a tree falling? However if you are asking this question as a zen koan (as it is usually) then there is no correct answer as the question was posed to promote "understanding through confusion" leading to mind/no mind.

weecalf

I thought a sound was what is heard.So no mattr what that tree did if nothing with ears was around or it was not recorded to be heard later the it did not make a sound .I know corn has ears but thats a different story.

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