What is an echo? An echo is a sound wave that has bounced off a surface and comes back to our ears.

Echo

A tunnel, such as this one in Greenwich, will cause an echo.

An echo is a sound that is bounced back and heard by your ears just after your ears have heard the direct sound.

When a sound is made, it travels outwards, and some of it reaches our ears directly. But the same sound travels in all directions. Most surfaces are rough or soft and they soak up the sound, so we only hear the direct sound. However, some surfaces are hard and smooth, and these reflect sound. If there are surfaces like this all around you, for example in an empty hall, a tunnel or a cave, then the sound is bounced from these surfaces and reaches your ears a bit later than the direct sound. This is when we hear an echo.

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