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There are an incredible number of cases where logic in physics does not work quite as we would like, and the lion's share of the articles on my channel are devoted to this. Here is another one for the collection.
How will a sound wave behave in water as the depth increases? It is logical to assume that it will be more difficult for the sound to spread, and it will also waste energy. Therefore, a sound wave should slow down when diving to a depth . But no, everything works differently. The sound will initially spread at its normal speed, and as it deepens, it will speed up and will continue this way until the energy runs out.
Water located at a greater depth experiences greater pressure from the layers above. This leads to an increase in the density of water - water molecules are located closer to each other. The density of the medium directly affects the speed of propagation of sound waves. A denser medium transmits vibrations more easily, which leads to an increase in the speed of sound.
In addition to pressure, the speed of sound in water is also affected by temperature and salinity. Generally, water temperature decreases with depth (at least up to a certain depth), and a decrease in temperature generally results in a decrease in the speed of sound. Salinity can also change with depth, although to a lesser extent than temperature. An increase in salinity, in turn, contributes to an increase in the speed of sound.
In the upper layers of the ocean, where the influence of temperature is more significant, the opposite picture can be observed - a decrease in the speed of sound with depth. This is due to the fact that a decrease in temperature has a greater effect on the speed of sound than an increase in pressure at these depths. However, starting from a certain depth (the so-called "sound channel", where the speed of sound is minimal), pressure begins to dominate, and the speed of sound begins to steadily increase with increasing depth .
This idea has also found application in describing red shift in space. According to the generally accepted theory of relativity, photons escaping a gravitational field lose energy, which manifests itself in an increase in their wavelength (red shift). This is explained by the slowing down of time near massive objects.
However, an alternative explanation can be proposed, based on the same logic as in the case of sound waves in the ocean. Let us imagine space not as an absolute vacuum, but as a medium filled with, for example, neutrinos. The concentration of these particles can be higher near massive objects due to their gravitational attraction. As a result, the pressure of the medium exerted by neutrinos on electromagnetic waves increases as they approach the source of gravity.
The assertion that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant is a cornerstone of modern physics. However, if space is not an absolute vacuum, but a medium with changing pressure, then the speed of light can also change depending on this pressure. In this case, the red shift can be interpreted as an increase in the speed of electromagnetic waves as they move away from the source of gravity, which in turn leads to a change in their wavelength.
The use of atomic clocks to confirm gravitational redshift deserves special attention. Atomic clocks are based on the oscillation frequency of atoms, which in turn can be affected by the pressure of the environment, in particular, neutrino pressure. Thus, the readings of atomic clocks may reflect not a change in the speed of time, but a change in the pressure of the environment in which they are located. In this context, atomic clocks can be considered as a kind of neutrino pressure altimeter. And yes, this approach is not generally accepted and is at the hypothetical level.
How will a sound wave behave in water as the depth increases? It is logical to assume that it will be more difficult for the sound to spread, and it will also waste energy. Therefore, a sound wave should slow down when diving to a depth . But no, everything works differently. The sound will initially spread at its normal speed, and as it deepens, it will speed up and will continue this way until the energy runs out.
Physics works the other way around again, although the mechanism of the phenomenon has been described. The main reason for the increase in the speed of sound with depth is the increasing pressure.
Water located at a greater depth experiences greater pressure from the layers above. This leads to an increase in the density of water - water molecules are located closer to each other. The density of the medium directly affects the speed of propagation of sound waves. A denser medium transmits vibrations more easily, which leads to an increase in the speed of sound.
In addition to pressure, the speed of sound in water is also affected by temperature and salinity. Generally, water temperature decreases with depth (at least up to a certain depth), and a decrease in temperature generally results in a decrease in the speed of sound. Salinity can also change with depth, although to a lesser extent than temperature. An increase in salinity, in turn, contributes to an increase in the speed of sound.
In the upper layers of the ocean, where the influence of temperature is more significant, the opposite picture can be observed - a decrease in the speed of sound with depth. This is due to the fact that a decrease in temperature has a greater effect on the speed of sound than an increase in pressure at these depths. However, starting from a certain depth (the so-called "sound channel", where the speed of sound is minimal), pressure begins to dominate, and the speed of sound begins to steadily increase with increasing depth .
This idea has also found application in describing red shift in space. According to the generally accepted theory of relativity, photons escaping a gravitational field lose energy, which manifests itself in an increase in their wavelength (red shift). This is explained by the slowing down of time near massive objects.
However, an alternative explanation can be proposed, based on the same logic as in the case of sound waves in the ocean. Let us imagine space not as an absolute vacuum, but as a medium filled with, for example, neutrinos. The concentration of these particles can be higher near massive objects due to their gravitational attraction. As a result, the pressure of the medium exerted by neutrinos on electromagnetic waves increases as they approach the source of gravity.
The assertion that the speed of light in a vacuum is constant is a cornerstone of modern physics. However, if space is not an absolute vacuum, but a medium with changing pressure, then the speed of light can also change depending on this pressure. In this case, the red shift can be interpreted as an increase in the speed of electromagnetic waves as they move away from the source of gravity, which in turn leads to a change in their wavelength.
The use of atomic clocks to confirm gravitational redshift deserves special attention. Atomic clocks are based on the oscillation frequency of atoms, which in turn can be affected by the pressure of the environment, in particular, neutrino pressure. Thus, the readings of atomic clocks may reflect not a change in the speed of time, but a change in the pressure of the environment in which they are located. In this context, atomic clocks can be considered as a kind of neutrino pressure altimeter. And yes, this approach is not generally accepted and is at the hypothetical level.
