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The detection of sound waves actually works better in water than in air because water transmits pressure waves more efficiently.

However, the difference in density means that human speech sounds are muffled or garbled underwater, making talking across a distance practically impossible. This is why Scuba divers communicate by hand signals.

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Why can you hear sounds better in air than underwater?

because air is thiner and water has monicules


Why we can hear sounds better in air then we can underwater.?

Sound travels faster in water than in air, but water is denser and less compressible which results in higher sound attenuation. This means sound waves weaken and lose energy more quickly in water, making them harder to hear compared to in air. Additionally, our ears are specifically adapted to detect sound in air, which further contributes to hearing sounds better in air than underwater.


Can you hear high pitched or lower pitched sounds better underwater?

Higher pitched sounds are typically easier to hear underwater compared to lower pitched sounds. The reason for this is that water is a denser medium than air, which results in faster attenuation of lower frequency sounds and better transmission of higher frequency sounds.


Why you can hear sounds better in air then you can underwater?

Sound moves faster and further in water than air, so it would seem like it must have something to do with the receiver. I'm guessing, but I'd guess it's because the eardrum evolved to hear sounds in air. Underwater you don't hear using the eardrum, you hear by way of bone conduction which apparently doesn't let you hear normal sounds as well as the air/eardrum method.


Why is it hard for humans to hear underwater?

Humans hear through sound waves traveling through air, water is denser than air making it more difficult for sound waves to travel efficiently. This causes sounds to become muffled and distorted underwater, making it harder for humans to hear clearly. Additionally, the ears are not optimized for hearing underwater as they are designed to work in air.


Do divers hear better underwater?

They can hear more, but not better. Because of the density of water, vibrations are changed in pitch, and may be muffled and garbled. Since clarity is the most important factor in hearing, underwater communication is mostly done by hand signals instead. On the other hand, sound moves more quickly underwater, and as a result you can hear from a greater distance. Things can be heard from a lot further away and/or are louder than in air. Unfortunately, because of the higher speed, and reflections from the bottom, sound direction is almost impossible to determine by ear.


Can you hear a motor boat if you were underwater?

Yes, you can hear a motorboat underwater. Sound travels more efficiently in water than in air, allowing underwater sounds to be transmitted over greater distances. The noise produced by the motor and the vibrations from the boat can be detected by the human ear when submerged, making it possible to hear the motorboat even from a distance.


Can a swimmer hear the boat sound under the water?

I live on a lake and swim quite often. When you go underwater and a boat goes by a 1/4 mile away, you can distinctly hear the prop and engine whirring. Also, the boat sounds much closer and louder than it does above water because sound travels better in water than in air. This is because it is more dense than air.


How do whales hear soundwaves?

Whales can generally only hear sounds that are made underwater. They have very good ears, because they 'talk' to each other using grunts and squeals over long distances. Sound waves travel extremely well in water . . . much better than in the air.


Frogs have ears on the side of their heads what can they hear underwater?

Sounds, which are nothing more than vibrations, can actually be heard better and further underwater than in air. So I would think frog's ears would be useful both underwater and sitting on land, to detect noise/vibrations of predators and to detect mates.


Why can you hear sound better in air than under water?

cause its easier for sound waves to travel through air than through liquid


Can you hear sound underwater?

Yes, sound can be heard underwater because sound waves travel through water just like they do through air.