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whispering chamber
physics
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application of conic sections
- In conic section: Post-Greek applications
…architects created a fad for whispering galleries—such as in the U.S. Capital and in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London—in which a whisper at one focus of an ellipsoid (an ellipse rotated about one axis) can be heard at the other focus, but nowhere else. From the ubiquitous parabolic satellite dish…
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reflection of sound
- In sound: Reflection
…onto another—an arrangement called a whispering chamber. Domes in cathedrals and capitols closely approximate the shape of an ellipse, so that such buildings often possess focal points and function as a type of whispering chamber. Concert halls must avoid the smooth, curved shape of ellipses and parabolas, because strong echoes…
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