Effects of Water Density on Sound
Sound travels 4 times faster in water than it does in air. This has dramatic effects on how you hear sounds underwater.
Sounds are more pronounced underwater. You'll hear bubbles from divers you can't even see. Tiny creatures make sounds you'll hear everywhere. And boats that are a great distance from you will sound like they're directly overhead.
When diving, it's impossible to judge the direction sounds are coming from. This is because the increased speed prevents us from hearing a delay from one ear to the other. Keep this in mind when you hear a boat overhead. Since it's impossible to tell if it's traveling towards you or away from you, don't surface while you hear a boat overhead.
Sounds are more pronounced underwater. You'll hear bubbles from divers you can't even see. Tiny creatures make sounds you'll hear everywhere. And boats that are a great distance from you will sound like they're directly overhead.
When diving, it's impossible to judge the direction sounds are coming from. This is because the increased speed prevents us from hearing a delay from one ear to the other. Keep this in mind when you hear a boat overhead. Since it's impossible to tell if it's traveling towards you or away from you, don't surface while you hear a boat overhead.
