Visszahangzás

Visszahangzás is a Hungarian term that directly translates to “echo” in English. It refers to the phenomenon where a sound wave is reflected back toward its source after striking a surface. The reflected sound can be identified as a delayed repetition of the original noise, and the delay depends on the distance between the source and the reflecting surface.

In physics, visszahangzás is described as the interference of incident and reflected acoustic waves. When the surfaces are smooth and the medium uniform, the reflection is specular, producing a clear echo. Rough or irregular surfaces scatter the sound, leading to diffuse reverberation rather than a distinct echo. The phenomenon is governed by the principles of wave propagation, reflection coefficients, and the speed of sound in the medium.

The term also appears in electronic and audio contexts, where it describes the feedback loop created when amplified sound is fed back into a microphone or signal path. In such cases, the reflected signal can amplify itself, producing a continuous tone known as acoustic or microphone feedback. Engineers design audio systems to minimize unwanted visszahangzás by using proper acoustic treatment, directional microphones, and anti‑feedback networks.

Culturally, visszahangzás is used metaphorically in Hungarian literature and folklore to describe the echo of history or the lingering impact of past events. It also appears in biblical and poetic language, invoking the image of a sound being reborn from a distant source.

The concept is fundamental in diverse fields such as architectural acoustics, seismic surveying, audio engineering, and even in biological signal processing, where organisms respond to reflected auditory cues.