Acoustics

Acoustics (Greek., akouein, "to hear"), term sometimes used for the science of sound in general, as in those qualities of an enclosure that together determine its character with respect to distinct hearing. It is more commonly used for the special branch of that science, architectural acoustics, that deals with the construction of enclosed areas so as to enhance the hearing of speech or music. The acoustics of buildings was an undeveloped aspect of the study of sound until comparatively recent times. The Roman architect Marcus Pollio, who lived during the 1st century BC, made some pertinent observations on the subject and some astute guesses concerning reverberation and interference. The scientific aspects of this subject, however, were first thoroughly treated by the American physicist Joseph Henry in 1856 and more fully developed by Lord Rayleigh in 1870.

See also: Acoustic Mirrors, Acoustic Sources, Architectural Acoustics, Audio, Infrasound, Microphone, Noise, Noise & Vibration, Psychoacoustics, Sound, Vehicle Noise.

Further reading:
• Fundamentals of Acoustics, Lawrence E. Kinsler, Austin R. Frey, Alan B. Coppens, James V. Sanders, John Wiley and Sons
• Foundations of Engineering Acoustics, Frank J Fahy, Academic Press
• Psychoacoustics, Eberhard Zwicker, H. Fastl, Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. KG