Question

Why are ceilings of concert halls, cinema halls curved?

Answer 1

In concert or cinema halls, music or other sounds that are produced on the stage must be carried through the air to people in the crowd. Some of these sound waves go directly to the people in the crowd, without bouncing off on anything first. However, other sound waves from the stage first go to areas like walls and ceilings, and the sound either bounces off or is absorbed. When sound waves bounce off a surface, the new direction they travel is related to the angle they strike the surface.
Thus, acoustical engineers and architects sometimes need to place panels on the ceilings and walls to reflect sound in a specific direction, that is, back to the audience. Using panels that are curved have a similar effect. Hence, ceilings and walls of cinema or concert halls are made curved so that sound after reflection reaches all the corners of the hall and the whole audience.