Why two tins with a string stretched between them could be better way to communicate than merely shouting through the air?

Answer 1

When 2 cans are on a string when people talk the string vibrates. Like on a regular phone, but on a regular phone its like invisible sort of. (You can try it for Earth Day for a fun project to do it is saving energy and recycling)

Answer 2

In practice it is certainly NOT a better way. A stretched string will carry vibrations further without attenuation than it will in air. But that will only work if the string is kept taut and straight between the two people. Also, it must not touch any other objects. Keeping the string taut means that the two people need to keep the same distance from each other which means either remain still or move at the same velocity. Sound waves in air can travel around corners so you can talk to someone around a corner but a 2-tin gadget would be useless. Finally, switching from being speaker to listener needs to be coordinated - as in calling out "over" or something - otherwise you need four tins with two strings and the whole process becomes impossible!

Answer 3

Most of the sound energy that gets into the string would go along the string, rather than being spread out into space.