Add to ORKGWe, much more than our ancestors, are constantly being bombarded by sound. We hear, and are more or less aware of, music, air hammers, television sets, jet planes, conversation, engines, sirens, etc., throughout the day. A sophisticated audio industry tries to improve the quality of musical sound. At the other end of the quality scale, noise pollution is a serious concern, which probably affects our lives more than we realize. In order to deal with sound, we should have some idea of what it is. What factors determine whether a sound is pleasing or grating? How is sound transmitted? How much power do our ear drums actually receive when we hear a bird, or a rock band? What determines whether our ears detect a sound; what is the meaning of sou...