If a tree falls in a forest and no one is there

[Wio Gumflapdinand]

Well if it doesn't make a sound then we better rename the "the Big Bang" to the silent fart, definitely no sentient beings around back then. I think they can still measure the sound from the Big Bang today
As for the fridge of course the light goes out I asked the lady's head in mine and she said it does

 

[kas_tippler]

If I remember my physics correctly, then sound will be created. Take an anvil resting on the ground, carry it up a ladder. Drop the anvil. What happens? The potential energy gained by lifting the anvil is converted to kinetic energy when you drop it. The kinetic energy is converted into heat, sound and the energy of deformation when it hits the ground. To take sound out of the equation would, to my way of thinking, imply that one of the other products of the collision must increase. Which would seem counter intuitive, if we're basing all this on whether a human, chimp, mouse or some other being is there to hear it.

So we still don't know

 

[mad4city]

If I remember my physics correctly, then sound will be created. Take an anvil resting on the ground, carry it up a ladder. Drop the anvil. What happens? The potential energy gained by lifting the anvil is converted to kinetic energy when you drop it. The kinetic energy is converted into heat, sound and the energy of deformation when it hits the ground. To take sound out of the equation would, to my way of thinking, imply that one of the other products of the collision must increase. Which would seem counter intuitive, if we're basing all this on whether a human, chimp, mouse or some other being is there to hear it.

So we still don't know

Those of us that read the first line of the quoted text and, subsequently, found nothing to disagree with in the posters logic know.
You, on the other hand, may not.

 

[ianw16]

If I remember my physics correctly, then sound will be created. Take an anvil resting on the ground, carry it up a ladder. Drop the anvil. What happens? The potential energy gained by lifting the anvil is converted to kinetic energy when you drop it. The kinetic energy is converted into heat, sound and the energy of deformation when it hits the ground. To take sound out of the equation would, to my way of thinking, imply that one of the other products of the collision must increase. Which would seem counter intuitive, if we're basing all this on whether a human, chimp, mouse or some other being is there to hear it.

So we still don't know

Well, the point is that "sound" is an interpretation of sound waves. Different creatures may experience the same sound waves in a different way. Who's right? But sound waves will be created. Let's say the kinetic energy off the falling object is 10 thingys. All of those 10 thingys must be converted. Let's say 7 of those thingys go into deformation, 2 into heat, 1 into sound. Take away the 1 thingy from the sound, and where does it go? Extra heat, extra deformation? Simply because a being with auditory capacity wasn't there to hear it?
We could get into the science of "what is sound", i.e. how our ears process vibrations and the brain interprets them. Other creatures probably pick up the vibrations alone, and use that to determine the direction of the fallen object. If a volcano erupts in a certain place, and can be heard from 500km away, but not beyond that, what has happened? For the people beyond 500km did the volcano make a sound? Yes. The sound waves just got weaker over that distance and were dissipated. Same thing happens with the tree; sound waves produced, dissipated before anyone/ anything can pick up the vibrations and convert them to what we or they call sound.
So sound waves will be created, regardless of anyone or anything being there.

 

[Stoned Rose]

You're all jumping the gun.

If no one is there how do we 'know' the forest exists never mind the tree falling and the sound it makes?

 

[Mr Ed (The Stables)]

Does it still make a sound?
All I can think of interdependence between the voices of nature and or own cognitive responses

I know that scenario is called "deadfall" It must make a sound as when people witness the felling of a tree it makes a noise.

 

[01cravend]

It makes a sound but not a noise

 

[ballbag]

It's a pressure wave that will be felt by everything it interacts with. Including the millions of living creatures in the area.

There's no sentient beings present

So a psychologist may argue that there was no sound but I'm more interested in physics.

Always gets me this one. I'd say yes the sound exists as sound waves are energy waves and are produced regardless of anyone being there or not. Yet as sound is interpreted by our ears detecting the variations of the frequency of the vibrating air particles, then physiologically, no the sound doesn't exist. However. if we placed recording devices near the tree, then the sound waves would be received and recorded by the device ready for a sentient being to listen to when they picked it up later.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Is it a beech tree?

 

[Blue Mist]

Is it a beech tree?

You mean like a Palm ?