Short Notes – Sound (Class 9 | NCERT / CBSE)
1. Sound
Sound is a form of energy that produces the sensation of hearing. It is
produced due to the vibration of objects. When an object vibrates, it
transfers energy to the surrounding medium, which travels as sound
waves and reaches our ears.
2. Production of Sound
Sound is produced when an object vibrates to and fro. These vibrations
disturb the particles of the surrounding medium, causing them to vibrate.
The vibrating particles transfer energy from one particle to another,
resulting in the propagation of sound.
3. Nature of Sound Waves
Sound waves are mechanical waves because they require a material
medium for their propagation. They are longitudinal waves, where the
particles of the medium vibrate parallel to the direction of propagation.
Sound waves consist of alternate regions of compression (high pressure
and density) and rarefaction (low pressure and density).
4. Propagation of Sound
Sound propagates through solids, liquids, and gases by means of particle
vibrations. Each particle passes the disturbance to the next particle.
Sound cannot travel in vacuum because there are no particles to vibrate
and carry the sound energy.
5. Speed of Sound
The speed of sound depends on the properties of the medium and its
temperature. Sound travels fastest in solids due to closely packed
particles, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases. The speed of sound in air
at room temperature is approximately 340 m/s.
6. Reflection of Sound
When sound waves strike a hard surface, they bounce back into the same
medium. This phenomenon is known as the reflection of sound. The laws
of reflection of sound are similar to those of light, stating that the angle of
incidence is equal to the angle of reflection and all rays lie in the same
plane.
7. Echo
An echo is the repetition of sound heard due to the reflection of sound
waves from a distant surface. For a clear echo, the reflected sound must
reach the ear after at least 0.1 seconds. This requires a minimum
distance of 17 m between the sound source and the reflecting surface.
8. Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound in an enclosed space due to
multiple reflections from walls, ceiling, and floor. Excessive reverberation
makes sound unclear, while proper reverberation improves sound quality
in halls and auditoriums.
9. Characteristics of Sound
Loudness depends on the amplitude of vibration and is measured
in decibel (dB).
Pitch depends on the frequency of sound waves. Higher frequency
corresponds to higher pitch.
Timbre (Quality) is the property that enables us to distinguish
between different sounds even when they have the same loudness
and pitch.
10. Range of Hearing
The audible range of sound for humans is from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Infrasonic sounds have frequencies below 20 Hz. They are
produced during earthquakes and used by animals such as
elephants and whales for long-distance communication.
Ultrasonic sounds have frequencies above 20,000 Hz. These
sounds are used by bats and dolphins for echolocation and
navigation.
11. Applications of Ultrasound
Ultrasonic waves are widely used in SONAR to measure the depth of the
sea and detect underwater objects. They are also used in medical
diagnosis (ultrasound scans), cleaning electronic components, and
detecting internal cracks in metal blocks.
12. Structure and Working of the Human Ear
The human ear consists of three main parts:
Outer ear collects sound waves and directs them to the eardrum.
Middle ear contains three small bones that amplify sound
vibrations.
Inner ear converts vibrations into electrical signals, which are
transmitted to the brain through the auditory nerve.