The physics invovled are not that complex.
As sound attenuates the higher than ambient pressure of the wave crest eventually collides with the lower than ambient pressure of the wave trough, cancelling the wave.
There is a measurable half life in ideal conditions but the remaining sound wave quickly becomes indistinguishable from the background of random molecular motion.
(the other guy not the one that gave you coochie warts, Thu 25 Apr 2013, 14:50, 2 replies)

I guess Marconi thought he was covering his arse with the "lack of sufficeintly sensitive equipment" bit
which is perilously close to "you can't prove a negative".

Thanks for the physics though, I know it's a silly theory but somehow the mere idea of sound carrying on comforts me, a bit like how religion works on other feeble-minded people perhaps.
( fred zeppelin II: Electric Boogaloo, Thu 25 Apr 2013, 15:03, closed)

Can't hear you mate.

( edjogs Collared doves are shit., Thu 25 Apr 2013, 15:18, closed)

Why's it a silly theory?

( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Thu 25 Apr 2013, 18:54, closed)

It's not,
it's just that I want to maintain my standing in the scientific community before unveiling my really big theory, the fools.
( fred zeppelin II: Electric Boogaloo, Thu 25 Apr 2013, 23:39, closed)

The physics aren't that complex
but those aren't the physics. How can the crest collide with the trough? The whole point of a wave is that they are going at the same speed. Different waves may move at different speeds in some media, but that's dispersion, which is quite different from dissipation.

It's much simpler than that: friction between air molecules mean that as the sound wave propagates, it continually loses energy to heat and reduces in amplitude.
(ubergeekian, Thu 25 Apr 2013, 15:30, closed)

When you see waves on a beach they all go in the same direction, roughly at right angles
to the coastline but when you look over the side of a ship at sea they're all going in different directions and colliding with each other at various angles.
Who straightens them up and at what distance from the beach does he do it?
( edjogs Collared doves are shit., Thu 25 Apr 2013, 15:41, closed)

My mate Alan works the coast between Morecambe and Fleetwood. I've gone with him on his rounds a couple times. We were a fair distance out when he was straightening the waves, about 10 miles or so I'd reckon.
HTH
(Roger McGough-Pipe, Thu 25 Apr 2013, 16:02, closed)