If a tree falls in the forest and no is around

If a tree falls in the forest and no is around to hear it does it actually make a noise

yes.. noise does not depend on human presence for it to be real...

... are you saying you've never watched 'Millionaire'?

yes, you just cant hear it

yes, humans arent the center of the earth

Of course it makes a sound. This is a question asked by the philospher Berkeley. First of all you said 'no is around to hear it' I am assuming you meant Nobody. If you are considering a somebody to be a Human than the answer is of course it makes a sound. There are a lot of sounds that are made that humans cannot hear. Dogs can hear many sounds that humans cannot hear. Another thing is a lot of things make sounds. The Sun is extremely loud as it is fusing nuclear reactions in its 27 million degree core. Humans can't here it because they are 93 million miles away but it still makes a lot of sound even though humans can't here it. I don't know, don't want to be mean but isn't the answer to this question very obvious to almost anyone?

It does make a sound but it isn't the same sound. Scientists put a recorder near the tree and the sound was different.

A website that I went to stated the following:

.Even though plants do not show any changes to the naked (or lensed) eye, when a human is in their presence systemic biological changes have been discovered that have grave effects on plant life when a person is within 300 meters. This effect is called 'human stress syndrome'.

Apparently, when a tree is about to fall, if it senses a human nearby the biological stresses of human presence cause the cell walls in the plant to become brittle and it is the cell brittleness responsible for the familiar sound we know as that of a tree fall. The cell brittleness also has significant effects to the quality of the lumber, making it much more suitable for use in construction.

*Note: The name of the site is http://www.getodd.com/stuf/treefall.html They have a recording of the tree falling. I was afraid to open the file because it may not be safe. So, do it at your own risk. It may be okay. I don't know. Go to the site or do some more research on google.com. ~ Carol

Yes it makes a noise, but seeing as no one is around no one can hear it...but no matter what it will make a noise.

But what is sound without a reciprocal? Does it even exist?

I think maybe it makes a sound and maybe it doesn't make a sound no one is around to hear it anyway

Just because nobody is there to actually here it that doesn't mean it doesn't make some type of sound. I believe it does! Think about it what falls that doesn't make some type of sound?

Simple answer: No

Answer with reason:

When the tree falls it vibrates, with a very small amplitude, like the skin on a drum. As the tree vibrates it comes into contract with the surrounding air particles, thusly passing on a small amount of kinetic energy causing the air particles to move. This happens from air particle to air particle, as they move back and fourth much like a slinky (longitudinal wave). Here is the important part, although the air is moving it is not sound, it is instead just pressure variances, these do not become sound until interpreted by an ear and brain (human or otherwise). Therefore, a falling tree without a withness, including animals, does not induce a sound, only instead pressure waves in the air.

That is the simple answer...Which you will note does not involve trees feeling people nearby, by some magical force. Nor does it involve a tree thinking 'Oh my, a person is near by, I'd best make my cells extra hard, just to give them a good sound'.

yes chuck norris hears it, chuck norris hears everything!

Yes, it makes a noise.