system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How is a silencer able to suppress the sound of a gun shot?
gpt
The sound of a gunshot is a very sharp square wave, This gives it high amplitude and short duration.  A suppressor stores some of that compressed gas energy in springs or baffles and releases it more slowly.  This makes a longer duration, lower frequency sound with lower amplitude.  Your ears don't hear lower frequencies as well plus the softer level of sound makes the sound less harmful to your ears.  The concept of "silent" is more a movie concept than a firearms concept.