Lower frequencies diffract more around obstacles than higher frequencies do

Evidence

Whether a sound is reflected or diffracted is determined by its wavelength and the size of the object encountered. The smaller the ratio between wavelength and object size, the greater the reflected sound energy. The wavelength of sound (l) is determined by the frequency of sound and the speed of sound, l =c/f, where c is the speed of sound and f is the frequency of sound in Hz. The speed of sound is roughly a constant, and is approximately 340 m/s. Thus, we observe that the wavelength of sound is inversely proportional to its frequency: Low-frequency sounds have long wavelengths and high-frequency sounds have short wavelengths. Thus, high-frequency sounds are more likely to reflect from objects whereas low-frequency sounds are more likely to diffract around objects. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1450 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
• XREF: connects to: Thick shrubs barely block noise because they act as a slower continuum; Shorter wavelengths scatter more strongly from small objects than longer ones do.; Sound bends around obstacles through a process called diffraction (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Sound bends around obstacles through a process called diffraction #expands (0.95)
• High-frequency sounds reflect off the head while low-frequency sounds diffract around it #exemplifies (0.90) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1450
• Solid obstacles diffract sound around them just as openings do #exemplifies (0.80)
• Flat surfaces reflect low-frequency sound specularly but scatter high-frequency sound #exemplifies (0.80)
• Low frequencies cannot form diffuse fields because boundaries create standing waves #expands (0.72) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1947