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    eriknugent's Avatar
    eriknugent Posts: 90, Reputation: -5
    Junior Member
    		  
    #1

    Dec 25, 2010, 12:13 AM
    How can I see sound
    Now I think this is kind of crazy but I want to know how it is possible for me to see sound. I was in church this morning and I happen to notice a slight rippling in the light reflecting off the wall in a certain corner in the church. Now I know this seems crazy at first I thought it was my eyes and I tried looking around at other walls nothing and looking at the same wall just a few feet over and I could see it in my peripheral vision in the same exact spot. I'm sure what I saw was from the sound. It be came more obvious the louder it got and the waves certainly seemed to go along with the singing and talking. I know this sounds crazy but I am sure it was real. I just want to know how. Thanks
    Unknown008's Avatar
    Unknown008 Posts: 8,076, Reputation: 723
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    #2

    Dec 25, 2010, 12:28 AM

    I'm not sure what you saw... but it could be that the wall in question was vibrating as the sound waves hit it. This said, the vibrating wall possibly sent light in the 'rippling' way you saw.
    ktbeth605's Avatar
    ktbeth605 Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Dec 25, 2010, 01:04 AM
    Light could have been reflecting off the wall, and when the loud sounds hit that wall and bounced off it would change the light rays.
    tkrussell's Avatar
    tkrussell Posts: 9,659, Reputation: 725
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    #4

    Dec 25, 2010, 05:45 AM
    Could be you saw an area that was heated air, from a heat duct or radiator, and the light passing through the air was being bent by the fluctuations in the heated air.
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
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    #5

    Dec 25, 2010, 06:03 AM
    Go to Youtube and look at many videos of sound wave patterns - in salt scattered on a dark surface, etc.
    Also sundogs - sound ripples from rockets going through light clouds when the sun is out.
    I had a fascination experience (which I failed to take a pic of) of sawdust making a pattern when a large chunk of wood cracked and sent a shock wave.
    It's not sound itself that you are seeing, of course.
    DrBob1's Avatar
    DrBob1 Posts: 425, Reputation: 86
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    #6

    Dec 26, 2010, 09:52 AM
    Walls are not very reflective, what you probably mean is you saw light reflected onto the wall. The glass in a window that reflected the light would easily vibrate when the organ plays or the choir sings. The resulting small changes would be amplified as the light reflected across the church.
    Galileo discovered the laws of pendulums in church so you are following a great tradition, I hope you have some of his success!
    eriknugent's Avatar
    eriknugent Posts: 90, Reputation: -5
    Junior Member
    		  
    #7

    Dec 26, 2010, 10:07 AM
    Comment on DrBob1's post
    All objects reflect light to varying degrees that's how we see things light reflects off a surface.
    eriknugent's Avatar
    eriknugent Posts: 90, Reputation: -5
    Junior Member
    		  
    #8

    Dec 26, 2010, 10:08 AM
    Comment on tkrussell's post
    Thanks this seams like the most reasonable explanation given the conditions
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