What is sound? Sound is a form of energy propagated as waves that make our eardrums vibrate.

. Sound waves are caused by vibrating objects. Sound waves are longitudinal waves. How is sound produced by vibrating objects? Sound waves are produced when a vibrating object causes the air molecules around it to vibrate. When a tuning fork vibrates, layers of air vibrate and the sound energy is propagated through the air around it in the form of waves. When the tuning fork moves forwards, the air is compressed. When the tuning fork moves backwards, the air layers are pulled apart and cause a rarefaction. Therefore, a series of compression and rarefactions will produce sound. The vibrating object that creates the disturbance could be the vocal cords of a person, the vibrating string and sound board of a guitar or violin, the vibrating tunes of a tuning fork, or the vibrating diaphragm of a radio speaker. Why does sound waves is a longitudinal waves? Particles of the medium through which the sound is transported vibrate parallel to the direction that the sound wave moves.

Behavior of Sound Waves Reflection Sound is constantly being reflected off many different surfaces. Most of the time the reflected sound is not noticed, because two identical sounds that reach the human ear less than 1/15 of a second apart cannot be distinguished as separate sounds. When the reflected sound is heard separately, it is called an echo. Refraction When a wave passes from one material to another at an angle, it usually changes speed, causing the wave front to bend. The refraction of sound can be demonstrated in a physics laboratory by using a lensshaped balloon filled with carbon dioxide to bring sound waves to a focus. Diffraction When sound waves pass around an obstacle or through an opening in an obstacle, the edge of the obstacle or the opening acts as a secondary sound source, sending out waves of the same frequency and wavelength (but of lower intensity) as the original source. The spreading out of sound waves from the secondary source is called diffraction. Because of this phenomenon, sound can be heard around corners despite the fact that sound waves generally travel in a straight line. Interference In auditoriums, destructive interference between sound from the stage and sound reflected from other parts of the hall can create dead spots in which both volume and clarity of sound are poor. Such interference can be reduced by use of soundabsorbing materials on reflecting surfaces.

Explain how the loudness relates to amplitude. The loudness of the sound depends on its amplitude. If the amplitude is increased, the loudness increases. Explain how the pitch relates to frequency. A high pitch sound corresponds to a high frequency and a low pitch sound corresponds to a low frequency of vibration.

Types of Sound Wave

Human ear is capable of hearing sound with frequency in the range of 20Hz 20,000Hz, and the sound wave with frequency in this range is called an audio/Sonic wave. Sound wave with frequency lower than 20Hz is called an Infrasonic Wave. Sound wave with frequency higher than 20,000Hz is called an Ultrasonic wave.

Speed of Sound Wave Speed of sound wave in solids is greater than in liquids, which is greater than in gases. Speed of sound in air is not affected by pressure, but is affected by the temperature. As temperature increases, speed of sound in air (and other gases) is also increases.

Uses of Sound Waves Echoes

Looking at babies in the womb (pre-natal scanning):

A receiver compares the length of time it takes for the ultrasound waves to be detected. The longer the time it takes Echoes are sound waves bouncing off surfaces. Sound for the wave to reach the receiver the deeper into the body waves obey the same first rule of reflection. the wave has gone. This information is then used to build up a (Remember: the angle of incidence is the same as the picture of the baby in the womb, which is then shown on a angle of reflection.) visual display, like a computer screen.

Cleaning instruments: Ultrasonic waves can be used to clean delicate instruments without having to take the equipment apart. The instrument is held in a liquid. The ultrasonic waves make the liquid particles vibrate at a high frequency, which cleans the surfaces of the equipment. Ultrasonic or high-frequency sound waves have been used to clean jewellery and teeth, help animals communicate and aid physicians in making observations of internal organs. It has also been used to remove kidney and gallstones by breaking the stones.

The echo is usually quieter than the original noise as energy is lost as the wave travels along. Shiny hard surfaces reflect sound better than soft, surfaces. Bathrooms are good rooms to sing in as the sound bounces well off tiled walls. If you sing in the living room most of the sound energy is lost, because the energy is absorbed by the carpet, furniture and curtains.

Ultrasound Sound waves that have a very high frequency are called ultrasound or ultrasonic waves. These sounds are so high that humans can't hear them. Dogs and bats have a higher hearing range than humans and can hear some ultrasonic waves. Ultrasonic sound waves are made by electrical devices (like a loud speaker), which change electrical signals into sound waves. There are many uses for ultrasound in medicine and industry. Here are some of them: Detecting flaws and cracks in metal: This works in the same way as scanning babies in the womb. The ultrasonic waves bounce off different surfaces in the metal. The time it takes for the waves to bounce back to the receiver allows us to work out the depth the wave has travelled into the metal.