A new study claims that that sounds waves carry minor amounts of mass in the form of “phonons.” According to the theory, this means that sound waves possess mass, a trait that would allow them to be influenced by gravity. The phonons are viewed as collective excitations which can be likened to some kind of particles. According to a new study, negative gravity helps sound travel.
Previous research has suggested that the phenomenon hints towards the existence of negative gravity, but it was tied to specific conditions. The sound had to travel through materials called superfluids, which have a resistance value of zero and allow sound waves to pass freely through them.
The new study argues that sound waves are also able to carry mass trough standard liquids and also other conventional mediums like solids and gases. If other researchers confirm the discovery, it has the potential to dramatically alter our perception about sound and what we know about it.
Sound travels with the help of negative gravity
The amount of mass carried by phonons should be incredibly tiny, on par with the mass of a hydrogen item or approximately 10–24 grams. When the researchers attempted to measure it, they made an exciting discovery. The mass of the phonons appeared to be negative, which means that they tend to climb up instead of falling. As time passes their trajectory would take them away from the gravitational source.
The distance that could be reached varies by the medium through which the phonons are traveling. When sound waves go through the water, they move at a speed of 1.5 kilometers per second. At this speed, the negative mass will influence the trajectory of the phonons by one degree per second. Accurately measuring the path would be quite tricky, but it wouldn’t be impossible.
Some tests could be made in superfluid helium, allowing researchers to observe how the phonon shifts while in motion and how negative gravity helps them travel. The study has been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
