What term describes the sounds of a car door slamming or a car engine starting?

The term that describes the sounds of a car door slamming or a car engine starting is sound effects. In the context of theatre and film, sound effects are specific audio components that are used to enhance the realism and emotional impact of a scene. These sounds are often added during production or post-production to create a more immersive experience for the audience.

Sound effects play a crucial role in storytelling, as they help to convey action, set the mood, and support the narrative without the need for visual representation of the sources of those sounds. For instance, the slamming of a car door or the starting of an engine immediately suggests a character's actions and can evoke specific feelings or tension depending on how they are used within the scene.

Hand props, which refer to the small items handled by actors, like a cup or a book, and set props, which are larger items that help build the environment, like furniture or appliances, do not encompass audio elements. Sound reinforcement pertains to the amplification of sound for clarity during live performances but does not describe the actual sounds themselves. Therefore, sound effects is the most fitting term for the described audio elements.