What is reverberation?

• A. Persistence of sound caused by multiple reflections in a space.
• B. The absorption of sound by materials.
• C. The change in pitch due to motion between source and listener.
• D. The bending of sound waves around obstacles.

Answer: (A)

Reverberation is the persistence of sound caused by multiple reflections in a space. When sound waves bounce off walls, ceiling, and floor, they arrive at the listener in rapid succession and blend together, so the initial sound seems to linger after the source stops. This creates a sense of spaciousness or fullness in a room or in music.

This is different from a distinct echo, which is a separate, clearly perceptible repeat of the sound after a noticeable delay. Absorption refers to how materials take in sound energy, reducing reverberation rather than defining it. The change in pitch due to motion between source and listener is the Doppler effect. The bending of sound waves around obstacles is diffraction. Therefore, the described phenomenon—persistence from many quick reflections in a space—best matches reverberation.