Final answer:
An acoustic panel primarily absorbs sound waves, leading to a decrease in the intensity of the sound without changing its pitch.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a sound wave interacts with an acoustic panel, part of the sound wave is absorbed, causing a decrease in its intensity. As sound waves travel through different media, they encounter boundaries that have different acoustic impedances. The greater this difference in acoustic impedance, the more reflection occurs, and the less transmission there is. However, acoustic panels are specifically designed to absorb sound waves rather than reflect them. This absorption reduces the amplitude of the sound waves, which correlates with a decrease in the sound's intensity, and can help to prevent echo and reverberation, leading to a clearer sound quality in a room.
Moreover, sound absorption by objects and conversion of sound energy into heat due to air viscosity further contributes to a decrease in amplitude and intensity of sound. Amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed of propagation are critical characteristics of sound waves, and in the case of acoustic panels, their primary effect is to absorb the waves, thereby reducing the amplitude and intensity of the sound without affecting its pitch.