Seashells amplify ambient noise due to their curved shape, producing a sound that varies in pitch depending on the size of the shell. This effect can also be replicated by holding a glass or forming an “O” shape with your mouth.
Seashells sound like the ocean because the curved shape of a seashell amplifies ambient noise, or background noise, which is normally too quiet to hear. This occurs because air bounces around inside the shell and produces a sound, which varies in pitch depending on the size of the shell. A small shell might make a higher-pitched, more ocean-like sound than larger shells because the air bounces more quickly. Holding a glass or forming an “O” shape to your mouth and rapidly tapping the cheek or throat will produce the same type of sound effect as the shell because it vibrates the air within a confined space.
More about sound:
An earlier theory about the shell sounding like the ocean was that it was actually blood vessels echoing from inside the ear.
The speed of sound is approximately 1130 feet (344m) per second.
A person cannot hear well underwater because underwater hearing relies on the vibrations of the skull, which is about 40% less effective than hearing sounds with the inner ear.
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