You are here
š” Sound that lingers
In a big hall, sound bounces again and again and seems to hang in the air — that is reverberation.
What is reverberation?
- Reverberation is the persistence of sound due to multiple reflections in a large hall.
- It occurs when reflections arrive with a time difference less than 0.05 s .
- Halls use soft, porous surfaces (panels, curtains, upholstered chairs) to control it.
Echo vs Reverberation
Echo
Reverberation
A single, clearly separated reflected sound
Many overlapping reflections that persist
Reflections arrive at least 0.1 s apart
Reflections arrive less than 0.05 s apart
Heard near cliffs, hills, large empty spaces
Heard in large halls and auditoriums
š§µ Threads of Curiosity
Medieval architects designed monuments with deep acoustic insight. The famous Whispering Gallery of the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur, Karnataka is shaped so that even a faint whisper can be heard multiple times across its large dome.
Important Definitions
- Reverberation — the persistence of sound due to repeated reflections in a large hall.
