SOUND
OBJECTIVES
● Describe how sound waves are produced and
propagated.
● Relate pitch to frequency and loudness to
amplitude.
● Solve problems involving relations between
speed, wavelength and frequency of sound.
● Compare the speed of sound in different
medium.
Let’s make sound.
- By simply tapping your table top or desk, you can already
create sound.
- You may also prepare simple materials like short string, a
disposal cup, paper clip and a tissue.
How sound waves are produced and
propagated?
Sound is produced when an object vibrates,
creating a pressure wave. This pressure wave
causes the particles in the surrounding medium
(air, water or solid) to vibrate.
Sound is propagated through compressions and
rarefactions on the particles in any medium.
MECHANICAL
WAVE
SOUND LONGITUDINAL
WAVE
MEDIUMS
SOLID GAS
example LIQUID example
Steel example Air
Wood Steam
Plastic Water
Pool water
Characteristics of Sound waves: Pitch, Loudness
and Timbre
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/sound-waves/latest/sound-waves_all.html
Let’s manipulate this simulation to relate frequency
and pitch as well as the amplitude and loudness of
sound.
How to calculate the speed of sound?
To calculate the speed of sound, we use the
basic wave equation.
v = λƒ or v = λ/Τ
where: v = wave velocity
λ = wavelength
ƒ = frequency
Τ = period
Sample Problem 1
If a sound wave were observed to travel a
distance 700 meters in 2 seconds, then how fast
is the wave?
Ans. 350 m/s
Sample Problem 2
Assuming the speed of sound in air is 345 m/s,
determine the wavelength of the sound
corresponding to this upper range of audible
hearing (f= 20 000 Hz).
Ans. 0.01725 m
Sample Problem 3
Assuming the speed of sound in air is 331 m/s and the
wavelength of the sound is 150 meters.
(a) How many waves are formed in one second?
(b) How long does it take to complete a cycle of a sound
wave?
a. Ans. 2.21 Hz
b. Ans. 0.45 sec
Sample Problem 4
For instance if the thunder is heard 3 seconds after
the lightning is seen, then sound (whose speed is
approximately 345 m/s) has traveled a distance of
____. Find the distance traveled of the sound heard.
Ans. 1035 m
Recap
Sound is a _____
mechanical waves that requires
medium and propagate as _____ longitudinal
wave.
____, ____, and ____ are the different
solid liquid gases
mediums of sound waves.
fastest
Sound waves travel _____ in solids and
slowest
_____ in gases.
