Exploring Underwater Acoustics & Whale Communication
Adam Khaniev • Yehor Zavidchikov • Artem Bobrov • Dmytro Kopot
Our experiment's purpose is to understand how whales communicate underwater. By studying how sound travels through water under different conditions, we aim to uncover the principles behind one of nature's most fascinating communication systems.
Understanding the physics of underwater sound propagation
Whales communicate underwater using sound waves — mechanical energy that moves through a medium by causing particles to vibrate. Sound behaves differently in water compared to air because water particles are packed much closer together. Sound travels through air at about 343 m/s, while in water it travels at around 1,480 m/s — almost four times faster. This helps whales communicate over vast distances.
The loudness of a sound is measured as intensity. As sound travels away from its source, the intensity decreases due to attenuation — the waves lose energy as they travel and become weaker.
Water temperature affects sound propagation. In warm water, particles move faster, allowing sound to travel slightly faster. In colder water, sound travels more slowly. Because the ocean has different temperatures at different depths, sound can sometimes bend or change direction.
When sound waves hit an object, they may be absorbed, reflected, or scattered. Soft materials like sponges absorb sound, while hard surfaces like rocks reflect it. Obstacles can reduce the strength of sound.
We hypothesized that different water conditions — including temperature changes and physical obstacles — would significantly affect how sound propagates underwater, altering both its speed and intensity.
The key factors in our experiment
Temperature, obstacles
Measured in decibels (dB)
Tools and equipment used in the experiment
See the science in action
See how we conducted our experiment step by step
Our results revealed fascinating patterns in underwater sound propagation. Sound intensity measured approximately 110 dB without obstacles and ~115 dB with obstacles, regardless of whether the water was hot (60°) or cold (10°). Interestingly, the presence of an obstacle slightly increased the measured sound intensity, possibly due to reflections concentrating the sound. Water temperature did not significantly affect the results. These findings suggest that neither temperature variation nor physical barriers drastically impair underwater sound transmission — supporting the idea that whales can communicate effectively across diverse ocean conditions.
Sound Intensity by Condition (dB)
Our experiment demonstrated that underwater sound propagation remains remarkably consistent across different conditions. Water temperature (60° vs 10°) had no significant effect on sound intensity, and the presence of obstacles actually resulted in a slight increase in measured loudness (~115 dB vs ~110 dB), likely due to sound reflections. These findings confirm that neither temperature changes nor physical barriers create insurmountable obstacles for underwater sound — helping explain how whales can communicate effectively across vast ocean distances despite varying conditions.
Sources that informed our research