How loud is a balloon pop?

When a balloon pops, how much of the sound you hear comes straight from the balloon itself and how much is reflected back from the surroundings?

The short video above compares the sound of a balloon pop in a reverberation room – a room that maximises the reflection of sound – and an anechoic chamber, which baffles and dissipates sound waves to ensure that they are absorbed without bouncing back from the walls.

The difference may surprise you.

Please login to favourite this article.