Study: Hand clapping is akin to a Helmholtz resonator Faster clapping yields lower-frequency sounds, as does cupping one's hands while clapping.

The study showed that softer hands produce quicker-decaying sounds. Conversely, clapping more forcefully—or in a shape that stiffens the hands—generates a louder, longer-lasting clap.

Scientists have finally unravelled the complex process that generates sound during handclaps, a discovery that shows how even simple acts can be rich with physics. The research, published in the ...