CHAPTER

1 SOUND

1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 WAVE MOTION
2.1 Definition
2.2 Waves are a Form of Travelling Energy
2.3 Classification of Waves - on the Basis of Medium
2.4 Classification of Waves - on the Basis of Direction of Vibration
2.5 Compression and Rarefraction
3.0 PRODUCTION OF SOUND
3.1 Sound is Produced by a Vibrating Body
3.2 Sound
3.3 Propagation of Sound
3.4 Sound Needs a Medium for Propagation
3.5 Speed of Sound Depends on the Medium
3.6 Audible and Inaudiable Sounds
4.0 CHARACTERISTICS
4.1 Wavelength
4.2 Time Period
4.3 Amplitude
4.4 Frequency
4.5 Wave Speed
4.6 Pitch
4.7 Loudness
4.8 Quality
5.0 SOUND PRODUCED BY HUMANS
5.1 The Human Ear
6.0 NOISE AND MUSIC
6.1 Noise Pollution
6.2 Sources of Noise Pollution
6.3 Effects of Noise Pollution
6.4 Measures to Limit Noise Pollution
6.5 Hearing Impairment
6.6 Hearing Aid
7.0 REFLECTION OF SOUND
7.1 Echo
7.2 Reverberation
7.3 Application of Ultrasound
EXERCISE-1 (OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS)
EXERCISE-2 (SUBJECTIVE QUESTIONS)
EXERCISE-3 (MISCELLANEOUS
QUESTIONS)
 1.0 INTRODUCTION
From our earliest years, we become accustomed to a great variety of sounds: our mother’s
voice, a telephone ringing, a kitten purring, a piano being played, a siren, a jet engine
roaring, a rifle shot. Some of these sounds are pleasant to the ear and some are not.
Sounds are a form of energy produced by rapidly vibrating objects. We hear sounds because
this energy stimulates the auditory nerve in the human ear.
Sound plays an important role in our life. It helps us to communicate with one another. We
hear a variety of sounds in our surroundings. In the music room of your school you hear the
sounds made by musical instruments like flute, tabla, harmonium, etc.(see fig. 1)

Harmonium

Tabla

Flute

Fig. 1 Some musical instruments

2.0 WAVE MOTION
Consider what happens to the surface of a pond when you drop a pebble into the water. The
disturbance created by the pebble generates water waves that travel away from the
disturbance (see fig.2 on next page). If you examine the motion of a leaf floating near the
disturbance, you would see that the leaf moves up and down and back and forth about its
original position. However, the leaf does not undergo any net displacement from the motion
of the waves. The leaf ’s motion indicates the motion of the particles in the water. The
water molecules move locally, like the leaf does, but they do not travel across the pond.
That is, the water wave moves from one place to another, but the water and hence the leaf

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itself is not carried with it.
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Fig.2 Ripple waves created on the surface of water
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away to move. In this way, the waves travel outward in a circular pattern away from the
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disturbance travels. Particles in the medium in this case are water molecules which move in
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2.1 Definition
Waves - A wave is a repeating disturbance or movement that transfers energy through
matter or space. For example, ocean waves disturb the water and transfer energy through
it. During earthquakes, energy is transferred in powerful waves that travel through Earth.
Light is a type of wave that can travel through empty space to transfer energy from one
place to another, such as from the Sun to Earth.
2.2 Waves are a Form of Travelling Energy A wave moving across the surface of water is
different from water moving, as in a stream. As the wave moves by, an individual particle of
water oscillates up and down with the wave but remains in the same place. Watch a floating
piece of cork on water (see fig.3) as a wave passes. You will see that the cork moves up and
down in about the same place as the wave moves under it. The energy moves through the
water causing the surface to oscillate up and down as the wave energy passes through.

Thus, a wave is a travelling form of energy.

Fig. 3
 For waves, there is no net displacement of the particles (they return to their equilibrium
position), but there is a net displacement of the wave. There are thus two different motions:
the motion of the particles of the medium and the motion of the wave.
 Waves transfer energy, momentum and pattern of disturbances from one place to another.

2.3 Classification of Waves - on the Basis of Medium

 Mechanical Waves - These waves require a medium for their propagation. For example, sound
waves travel through the air to reach your ears. Ocean waves move through water to reach
the shore.
 A medium is the substance or material in which a wave will move. A medium can be a solid, a
liquid, a gas, or a combination of these.
 Non-mechanical waves - These waves do not require any medium for their propagation. They
can travel through space. These waves are also called electromagnetic waves. For example,
light, radio waves, gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, microwaves, all are
electromagnetic waves.
 Wave pulse -
A pulse is a single disturbance that moves through a medium.
 Amplitude of a wave pulse - The amplitude of a pulse is a measurement of how far the medium
is displaced from rest (see fig.4). n
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Amµlifude

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  Pulse speed - Pulse speed is the distance a pulse travels in a specific time.
Mechanical waves are of two types namely, transverse waves and longitudinal
(compressional) waves. but electromagnetic waves are always transverse in nature.

2.4 Classification of Waves - on the Basis of Direction of Vibration

Transverse waves A transverse wave is a wave where the movement of the particles of the
medium is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave (see fig.5).
Direction of wave travel

Line of zero disturbance

Particle

Fig. 5 A transverse wave

 Line of zero disturbance It is the line at which the net force on the particles of the medium is
zero. That is, when an oscillating particle reaches this line, it achieves its equilibrium
position.
 Crest and trough Transverse waves consist of moving crests and troughs. A crest is the part
of the transverse wave which is above the line of zero disturbance. A trough is the part of
transverse wave which is below the line of zero disturbance.
Crest

Equilibrium

Trough
Fig. 6 Crests and troughs in a transverse wave

Longitudinal waves A longitudinal wave is a wave where the particles in the medium move
parallel to the direction of propagation of the wave. For example, if a long spring is given jerk
along its length, a longitudinal wave is produced in it which is shown in fig.. Sound is also a
longitudinal wave.
Direction of motion of wave

Direction of motion of particles of the spring

Fig. 7 Longitudinal wave through a spring
2.5 Compression and Rarefaction
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Compression (or condensation) A compression is a region in a longitudinal wave where the

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particles are closer together than their normal separations.

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apart than their normal separations.

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Longitudinal waves can travel through all the three media namely, solids, liquids and gases.
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 Compressions are regions of high molecular density and high pressure while rarefactions are
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the regions of low molecular density and low pressure.

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 Compressions

Rarefaction
Fig .8 Compressions and rarefactions on a longitudinal wave

3.0 PRODUCTION OF SOUND

3.1 Sound is Produced by a Vibrating Body
We can describe the sounds we hear in many ways. For example, lions roar, babies cry,
birds chirp, corks pop, etc. All these types of sounds originate from vibrating objects.
But, some vibrations are visible some are not. If you pluck a guitar string (see fig.9) or strike
a low- frequency tuning fork (see fig.10), you can see the actual vibrations of the object.
Similarly, if you watch the low-frequency woofer of a loudspeaker system you can see it
vibrating.
There are many vibrations that are not visible, however. When you speak, for instance, parts
of your throat vibrate. When you make a whistling sound by blowing over an empty pop
bottle, the air molecules in the bottle vibrate to produce sound.

Fig.9 Vibrations of a guitar strings can be visible Fig.10 A vibrating tuning fork
3.2 Sound
We can describe the sounds we hear in many ways. For example, lions roar, babies cry, birds
chirp, corns pop, etc. All these types of sounds originate from vibrating objects. But, some
vibrations are visible some are not. If you pluck a guitar string or strike a low-frequency
tuning fork, you can see the actual vibrations of the object. Similarly, if you watch the low
frequency woofer of a loudspeaker system you can see it vibrating. There are many
vibrations that are not visible. When you speak, for instance, parts of your throat vibrate.
When you make a whistling sound by blowing over an empty pop bottle, the air molecules in
the bottle vibrate to produce sound.
 Frequency of sound produced is exactly equal to the frequency of the vibrating source. This
means, an object that vibrates faster forms a sound wave with a higher frequency and vice-
versa.
3.3 Propagation of Sound
Sound moves through a medium from the point of generation (source) to the listener. When
an object vibrates, it sets the particles of the medium around it vibrating. The particles do
not travel all the way from the vibrating object to the ear. A particle of the medium in
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contact with the vibrating object is first displaced from its equilibrium position (mean o
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position). It then exerts a force on the adjacent particle. As a result of which the adjacent
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particle gets displaced from its position of rest. After displacing the adjacent particle the first -2
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sound reaches your ear. The disturbance created by a source of sound in the medium travels
through the medium and not the particles of the medium.
 Propagation of sound can be visualised as propagation of density variations or pressure
variations in the medium.

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 Understanding propagation of sound using a vibrating tuning fork
Air is the most common medium through which sound travels.
(a) When a tuning fork is not vibrating, the air particles around it are at their normal
positions, i.e., the molecular density is uniform throughout the medium [see fig. 11(a)].
When a tuning fork starts vibrating, it produces a series of successive compression and
rarefaction in the air, thus, propagating sound through the air.
(b) When the prong of tuning fork swings to the right [see fig. 11(b)], the molecules in the
air to the right of the prong are forced closer together than normal. Such a region of
high molecular density and high air pressure is called a compression. This compression
moves away from the fork (to the right) like a ripple on a pond.
(c) When the prong swings to the left [see fig. 11 (c)], the molecules in the air to the right
of the prong spread apart, and the density and air pressure in this region are then lower
than normal. Such a region of low molecular density and low air pressure is called a
rarefaction. The rarefaction also moves to the right, following the previously produced
compression.
(d) As the tuning fork continues to vibrate, a succession of compressions and rarefactions
forms and spreads out from it [see fig. 11 (d)].

Comµression (C)

(a) No vibrafions in fhe funin9 forK (b) Forward movemenf in fhe funin9 forK

R C R C R C
Rarefacfion (R)
(c) BacKward movemenf in fhe funin9 forK (d) Vibrafions in funin9 forK µroduces series
of comµressions and rarefacfions
Fig. 11 Production of sound by a tuning fork

ACTIVE PHYSICS

1. Take frying pan and a pressure cooker (see fig.12). Place the cooker on a convenient
place. Now strike it with the frying pan.
2. You will hear a sound of striking. Now, touch the surface of pressure cooker gently with
your finger. You will feel the vibrations on the surface of pressure cooker.
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Fig.12 Active physics

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ACTIVE PHYSICS
1. Take a rubber band. Put it around the longer side of a pencil box (see fig.13). Insert two
pencils between the box and the stretched rubber. Now, pluck the rubber band somewhere
in the middle.
Rubber
band

Pencil
Fig.13 Active physics
2. You will hear any sound. You will clearly see the vibrations of the rubber band.

ACTIVE PHYSICS
1. Take a metal dish. Pour water in it. Strike it at its edge by a spoon (see fig.14). You will
hear a sound. Now, on touch it you will feel the vibrations in it.
2. Strike the dish again. Now, look at the surface of water. You will see the vibrations on the
surface of water i.e., you will see waves on the surface of water.
3. Now hold the dish. On holding the dish, the sound stops quickly. The waves (or
vibrations) on the surface of water also stop. This clearly connects connect sound with
the vibrations of a body.

Fig.14 Active physics

Table to show some musical instruments and their vibrating parts

[Link]. Vibrating part of the

Musical instrument
instrument that produces
sound
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1. Veena Stretched string
2. Tabla Stretched membrane
3. Flute Air column
4. Violin Stretched string
5. Manjira Vibrating metallic body
6. Trumpet Air column
7. Jal tarang Vibrating china bowl

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Jal Tarang
The Jal tarang one of the most rarely heard instruments today. It is one of the oldest
instrument in the world. It consists of china bowls filled with water and struck by means of
two cane sticks. Earlier, since china clay bowls weren't available, artists used to play this
instrument with metal bowls. Each bowl can be tuned to the desired frequency by varying
the quantity of water in it. These bowls are placed in a semi - circle arrangement around the
player and played. Ancient texts mentioned instruments similar to this. Indian and Greek
texts described such instruments. The Jal tarang has a pleasant characteristic tone. The
player can produce on it, classical Indian ragas and
light melodies as well. (see fig. 15)

Fig.15 An artist playing on jal tarang.

ACTIVE PHYSICS
1. Take 6-8 metal bowls or tumblers. Fill them with water up to different levels, increasing
gradually from one end to the other.
2. Now take a pencil and strike the bowls gently. Strike all of them in succession. You will
hear a pleasant sound. This is your own Jal tarang ( see fig.16).

Fig.16 Active physics

 Sound of a water fall is a natural sound. Other natural sound include animal sounds, from
n the chirruping of crickets to the vocalisations of mammals, the sound of rain falling on the
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When we pluck the string of an instrument, like the sitar, the sound that we hear is not only
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that of the string. The whole instrument is forced to vibrate, and it is the sound of the
vibration of the instrument that we hear. Similarly, when we strike the membrane of a
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mridangam (or tabla), the sound that we hear is not only that of the membrane but of the
whole body of the instrument.

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 There are three basic types of vibration. A transverse vibration occurs when an object
vibrates perpendicular to its axis at the normal rest position. An example of a transverse
vibration is a child swinging on a swing. A longitudinal vibration occurs when an object
vibrates parallel to its axis at the rest position. An example is an oscillating spring supporting
a vehicle. A torsional vibration occurs when an object twists around its axis at the rest
position. An example occurs when a string supporting an object is twisted, causing the
object to vibrate. The three kinds of vibration are shown in fig.17.

Rest axis
Rest axis Motion is
parallel
to rest Motion twists
axis around rest
axis

Motion is
perpendicular to Rest axis
rest axis
(a) Transverse (b) Longitudinal vibration (c) Torsional vibration
vibration Fig. 17

3.4 Sound Needs a Medium for Propagation

Waves of almost every kind require a material medium in which they travel. Sound waves,
for example, cannot travel through outer space, because space is very nearly a vacuum. In
order for sound waves to travel, they must have a medium such as air or water. This means
sound requires a medium to travel in. Some school laboratories have a demonstration where
a bell rings inside a jar. The experimental setup is shown in fig.18. As the air is pumped out
of the jar, the sound gradually disappears. When the air is returned to the jar, the sound
returns. Thus, in order for sound to be transmitted, a medium must be present.
Power supply

Bell jar

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Fig.18 A bell jar experiment for sound

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ACTIVE PHYSICS
1. Take a metal glass tumbler. Make sure that it is dry. Place a cell phone in it. (Remember

that the cell phone must not be kept in water otherwise it may get damaged.) Ask your
friend to give a ring on this cell phone from another cell phone. Listen to the ring
carefully.

2. Now, surround the rim of the tumbler with your hands (see fig.19). Put your mouth on the

opening between your hands. Indicate to your friend to give a ring again. Listen to the
ring while sucking air from the tumbler using your mouth. You will observe that the sound
become fainter and fainter as you suck. Now, remove the tumbler from your mouth. You
will observe that the sound becomes loud again.

Fig. 19 Active physics

3.5 Speed of Sound Depends on the Medium

Sound waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases. Because waves consist of particle
vibrations, the speed of a wave depends on how quickly one particle can transfer its motion
to another particle. For example, solid particles respond more rapidly to a disturbance than
gas particles do because the molecules of a solid are closer together than those of a gas are.
As a result, sound waves generally travel faster through solids than through gases.
Speed of sound depends on the temperature of the medium
As temperature rises, the particles of a gas collide more frequently. Thus, in a gas, the
disturbance can spread faster at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures. In liquids
and solids, the particles are close enough together that the difference due to temperature
changes is less noticeable. Sound waves propagate in three dimensions
Sound waves travel away from a vibrating source in all three dimensions. When a musician
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inside the water to produce sound. Make sure that the bell does not touch the body of the
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bucket or the tub. Place your ear gently on the water surface (see fig.20).

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Fig. 20 Active physics

2. You hear a feeble sound of the bell. This means that sound can travel through liquids.

ACTIVE PHYSICS
1. Take a metre scale or a long metal rod and hold its one end to your ear. Ask your friend
to gently scratch or tap the other end of the scale (see fig.21).

Fig. 21 Active physics

2. You can hear the sound of the scratch. Ask your friends around you if they were able to
hear the same sound ? Of course, they are also able to hear the sound.
 We find that sound can travel through metal. In fact, sound can travel through any
solid. (see fig. 21)

ACTIVE PHYSICS
1. Speak loudly for a while or sing a song. Put your hand on your throat as shown in fig.22.

Fig. 22 A toy telephone sound can travel through strings

2. You will feel vibrations that are taking place in your throat. Thus, in humans, some
vibrating part in the throat creates sound. n
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those higher than 20,000 Hz cannot be detected by the human ear. Such sounds are called
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 Frequencies of less than 20 Hz are called infrasonic sounds. Frequencies that are higher than c

20,000 Hz are called ultrasonic sounds.

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 Illustration 1. Why do you hear sound of a water fall ?
Solution When water falls from a certain height in a water fall, the vibrating water
droplets produce sound that travels through air. This sound is heard by us when
it reaches our ears.
Illustration 2. What do you understand by the term vibration or oscillation ? Give some examples
of vibration you see in your daily life.
Solution The vibration (or oscillation) of an object is a cycle or a motion that is repeated
over and over with the same time interval each time. Some examples of
vibrations or oscillations we see in our daily life are :
(1) A child swinging on a swing.
(2) A simple pendulum oscillating about its mean position.
(3) An oscillating spring that supports a vehicle.
Illustration 3. Is it correct to say that in every case, without exception, any radio wave travels
faster than any sound wave ?
Solution Yes. This is because any radio wave is an electromagnetic wave like light, thus it
travels with the speed of light. The speed of light or radio wave in air is about 3
× 108 m/s and speed of sound is about 340 m/s which is approximately one
million time smaller than the speed of a radio wave.
Illustration 4. A metallic blade fixed in a wall is made to vibrate at is free end. The vibrations of
the blade gradually decrease and finally stop after some time. Why ?
Solution The vibrations of the blade gradually decreases after some time due to the
friction offered by the air (air resistance) and they finally get stopped. (see fig.
23)
Vibrafion

Fig. 23

1. What are the differences between infrasonic, audible, and ultrasonic sounds?

2. Explain why the speed of sound depends on the temperature of the medium. Why is this
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5. Define wave and explain its types on the medium?
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4.0 CHARACTERISTICS
4.1 Wavelength
The minimum distance in which a wave repeats itself is called its wavelength. Also, the
distance travelled by a wave when it completes its one cycle is called its wavelength. It is
represented by a Greek symbol '' (lambda).
 The wavelength in a transverse wave refers to distance between peaks of two consecutive crest or
two consecutive troughs. The length of one complete crest and trough also represents one
wavelength of a transverse wave.
 

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Wavelength of a transverse wave
Fig. 24
 The wavelength in a longitudinal wave refers to the distance between two consecutive
compressions or between two consecutive rarefactions. The length of one complete
compression and rarefaction also represents one wavelength of a longitudinal wave.
 

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Fig. 25 Wavelength of a longitudinal wave
4.2 Time Period
The time period T is the time taken by a particle to move through one complete cycle of
motion. In other words, time taken to complete one oscillation of a wave is called time
period or simply the period of the wave.
 For a transverse wave, the time period (T) is the time taken for two successive crests (or
troughs) to pass a fixed point. For a longitudinal wave, the time taken by two consecutive
compressions or rarefactions to cross a fixed point is called the time period of the wave.
4.3 Amplitude
The amplitude is the maximum displacement of a particle from its equilibrium position.

Amplitude
Equilibirum
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Fig. 26 Amplitude of a transverse wave -
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The frequency ( is the number of complete cycles or vibrations per unit of time. Also, it can V
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given point in 1 second. For longitudinal wave, the frequency is the number of successive
compressions (or rarefactions) passing a given point in 1 second.
 Unit of frequency : Frequency is measured in cycles per second. The term “cycles” is usually
left off and the unit is written as s–1 or 1/s. This unit is also called hertz (Hz).
1 Hz = 1 cycle /sec or 1 oscillation/sec = 1 s –1
 Relationship between time period and frequency
Frequency () is the reciprocal of time period (T). That is,
1
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4.5 Wave Speed
Wave speed (v) is distance travelled by the pattern of the wave per unit time. We know that in
a time period T, the distance travelled by the wave is one wavelength ().
Now,
distance 1  ....(1)
v 
   

time T
T
We know that, frequency,  
1 ....(2)
T
Using (1) & (2), we get,
v
That is, speed = frequency × wavelength.
4.6 Pitch
The frequency of an audible sound wave determines how high or low we perceive the sound
to be, which is known as pitch. As the frequency of a sound wave increases, the pitch rises.
The frequency of a wave is an objective quantity that can be measured, while pitch refers to
how different frequencies are perceived by the human ear.
In other words, the frequency determines the shrillness or pitch of a sound. If the frequency
of vibration is higher we say that the sound is shrill and has a higher pitch (see fig. 27(b)). If
the frequency of vibration is lower, we say that the sound has a lower pitch. (see fig. 27(a))
We can say that a thinner voice like a female voice has high pitch while a thicker (heavy)
voice like a male voice has low pitch. Sounds of musical instruments like guitar, sitar, violin,
veena are high pitch sounds while sounds of drum, tabla, dholak are low pitch sounds.
 If you have ever been near a pond on a summer evening, you might have heard the crickets
chirping and the bullfrogs croaking. You could easily distinguish between the sounds because
cricket sounds have a high pitch and bullfrog sounds have a low pitch. These sounds are
different because their frequencies are different.

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Fig.27 Pitch and frequency are related

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4.7 Loudness
The loudness of the sounds humans perceive relates to the intensity of the sound. Sound
intensity is energy carried by the sound per unit time per unit area. Sound intensity is
usually measured in watt/(meter)2 or (W/m2).
The loudness of a sound depends on the amplitude of vibration. The greater the amplitude,
the higher the volume of the sound. A speaker making a loud sound moves back and forth
more than a speaker making a soft sound. (see fig. 28)
Unit of loudness -The loudness is expressed in a unit called decibel (dB). On the decibel
scale, 0 dB is called the threshold of hearing.
High

Low
Soft (or quiet)
Loud
Fig. 28 Amplitude and loudness are related
Loudness of sound coming from various sources

[Link]. Source of sound Loudness (in dB)

1. Threshold of 0
2. hearing Normal 10
3. breathing Soft 30
4. whisper (at 5m) 60
5. Normal conversation 70
6. Busy traffic 80
7. Average factory 130
Threshold of
pain
 Human ear is sensitive to the sound intensity (loudness) ranging from 0 - 180 dB.

4.8 Quality
Quality (or timbre) of a sound is the property by which two sounds of the same pitch (or
frequency) emitted by two different sources can be distinguished from each other. It
depends on the waveform of the sound produced by a source.
For example, a clarinet sounds different from a violin because of differences in quality
(timbre), even when both instruments are sounding the same note at the same volume (see

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Violin
Fig.29 A clarinet and a violin produces different waveforms for the same note (pitch)

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 Illustration 5. A mass hung from a spring vibrates 15 times in 12 s. Calculate
(a) the frequency
(b) the period of the vibration.
Solution (a) Given, number of cycles = 15 cycles ; total time = 12 s ; frequency, f =?
No. of cycles 15
Now, f  cycles/second
  1.2
time taken 12 = 1.2 Hz

1 1 1
(b) Now, f  or T   = 0.83 s
T f 1.2

Illustration 6. The frequency of a wave is 5.0 × 102 Hz. Calculate the time period.
Solution Given, f = 5.0 × 102 Hz ; T = ?

We know that, T  1
1 or T = 0.002 s
5
=
f 102

Illustration 7. Calculate the period in seconds of each of these motions

(a) a pulse beats 25 times in 15 s
(b) a fan motor turns at 1200 rpm (revolutions per minute)
Solution (a) Given, no. of cycles = 25 ; time taken = 15 s
No. of cycles 25
f   1.6 cyc1es/second
time taken 15
(b) Given, no. of cycles = 1200; time taken = 1 min = 60 sec.

[Link] cycles
f = 1200 time taken
= = 20 cycles/second
60

5.0 SOUND PRODUCED BY HUMANS

In humans, the sound is produced by the voice box or the larynx. Put your fingers on the
throat and find a hard bump that seems to move when you swallow. This part of the body is
known as the voice box. It is at the upper end of the windpipe. Two vocal cords, are
stretched across the voice box or larynx in such a way that it leaves a narrow slit between
them for the passage of air (see fig.30 & fig.31). When the lungs force air through the slit,
the vocal cords vibrate, producing sound. The sound is amplified and modified by the group
of parts collectively called the resonators. They are the pharynx, mouth, and nasal cavity.
n
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 Your vocal cords are two thin folds of muscle and elastic tissue that relax when you are not
speaking. To speak, your muscles stretch your vocal cords. Rock singers usually over-tense
their vocal cords, which creates a dramatic sound but can cause vocal injuries such as
nodules (small growths on the vocal cords that must be surgically removed).

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Nasal cavity Tongue Pharynx

Larynx Vocal cord Trachea
Esophagus

Vocal cords
Lung

Fig. 30 Fig. 31

ACTIVE PHYSICS
1. Take two rubber strips of the same size. Place these two pieces one above the other and
stretch them tight. Now blow air through the gap between them As the air blows through
the stretched rubber strips, a sound is produced.
2. You can also take a piece of paper with a narrow slit and hold it between your fingers.
Now, blow through the slit and listen to the sound. Our vocal cords produce sound in a
similar manner.
5.1 The Human Ear
The human ear consists of three sections: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear
(see fig.32). The outer ear consists of the external ear (pinna) and the auditory canal. The
external ear is shaped to collect sounds, which then travel down the auditory canal to the
eardrum (see fig.32). The audible hearing range of a healthy young adult is approximately
20 to 20,000 Hz. The middle ear is separated from the outer ear by the eardrum, a very
tough, tightly stretched membrane less than 0.1 mm thick. The eardrum is forced to vibrate
by sound coming down the ear canal. The vibration of the eardrum has the same frequency
as the source of the sound waves.
Oval
Hammer Stirrup window
Eardrum Anvil
External Cochlea
ear or Auditory
pinna nerve

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 Attached to the inside of the eardrum are three small interlocking bones: the hammer
(malleus), the anvil (incus), and the stirrup (stapes). These bones transmit the vibrations of
the eardrum to the inner ear, mechanically magnifying the pressure variations by a factor of
18. The stirrup transmits the eardrum vibrations to the threshold of the inner ear at the oval
window. The vibrations set up pressure waves in the fluid that fills the inner ear’s cochlea.
The cochlea is a snail-shaped organ approximately 3.0 cm long, divided into two equal
sections by a partition for most of its length. Waves are transmitted down one side of the
cochlea, around the end of the partition, and back almost to the point of origin. As these
waves move, they cause approximately 23,000 microscopic hairs to vibrate. Each hair is
connected to a cell that converts the mechanical motion of the hair into an electrical signal,
which in turn is transmitted to the brain by the auditory nerve.
 The cavity containing the middle ear is filled with air and is connected to the mouth by the
Eustachian tube. This tube is normally closed, but it opens during swallowing or yawning,
equalizing the air pressure in the middle ear. If the Eustachian tube becomes blocked,
because of a cold for example, pressure equalization cannot take place and the result is
pressure in the middle ear, which can be quite painful and can affect hearing.

ACTIVE PHYSICS
1. Take a plastic can. Cut its ends. Stretch a piece of rubber balloon across one end of the
can and fasten it with a rubber band. Put four or five grains of dry cereal on the stretched
rubber.
2. Now speak something loudly say “hurrah, hurrah” from the open end You will observe
that the grains jump up and down. This is due to the vibration of stretched rubber
balloon. The eardrum is just like the a stretched rubber sheet. Sound vibrations make the
eardrum vibrate The eardrum sends vibrations to the inner ear. From there, the signal
goes to the brain. That is how we hear

6.0 NOISE AND MUSIC

We hear different types of sounds around us. Some sounds are pleasing while some sounds
cause discomfort to us. Suppose construction work is going on in your neighbourhood. The
sounds coming from the construction site are not pleasing. Similarly, we do not enjoy the
sounds produced by horns of buses and trucks. Such unpleasant sounds are called noise. In
a classroom, if all the students speak together, the sound produced will be a noise.
Noise originates from a source where the frequencies are constantly changing in a random
manner. Displayed on an oscilloscope, noise does not have a constant waveform [see

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Clas s VII I : Physics
On the other
A musical hand
note you enjoy
originates sounds
from fromvibrating
a source musical in
instruments. Musical with
a uniform manner sound is one
one which is
or more
pleasing to the ear. Sound produced by a harmonium is a musical sound. The string of a
sitar also gives out a musical sound.

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 frequencies. Music is the combination of musical notes. With an oscilloscope, music is
displayed as a constant waveform [see fig.33(b)].
 If a musical sound becomes too loud, it will not remain melodious. It will become unpleasant
and thus, it will sound like a noise.
6.1 Noise Pollution
'Noise' is a by-product of industrialisation and modern civilisation. It is the state of
undesirable loud sounds of different kinds producing in the atmosphere due to the various
modern civilisation activities like running of vehicles, industrial processes, loud speakers, etc.
 Presence of excessive or unwanted sounds in the environment is called noise pollution.
6.2 Sources of Noise Pollution
(1) Industrialisation Industrialisation is the major source of noise pollution. Industries use
machineries that makes loud and irritating sounds of various kinds which produce the
noise pollution.
(2) Transportation Another major cause of noise pollution particularly in cities is
transportation such as buses, trucks, cars, scooters, etc. that creates noise pollution
because of their engines and horns.
(3) Electrical devices at home : At home, the major cause of noise pollution is the use of
electrical devices like mixer-grinder, cooler, fan, television, tape-recorder, radio, vacuum
cleaner, etc.
(4) Social functions Loud speakers and musical bands used in the social functions also cause
the noise pollution to some extent in cities.
6.3 Effects of Noise Pollution
(1) Impairment of hearing (deafness) due to the prolonged exposure to loud noise.
(2) Severe damage to ear drum due to a sudden loud noise.
(3) Lack of sleep
(4) Hypertension (high blood pressure)
(5) Anxiety
(6) Noise pollution may also cause damage to heart, brain, liver and can result in emotional
disturbances.
6.4 Measures to Limit Noise Pollution
The following factors should be kept in view for controlling noise pollution:
1. Source of noise pollution
(a) Setting industries away from crowded areas.
(b) Using better designed engines.
(c) Lubricating and maintaining machines.
(d) Enforcing laws to get rid of noise producing vehicles and to restrict the use of loud n
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(b) Interrupting the path of sound by materials which absorb the sound. Acoustic s
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A musical note originates from a source vibrating in a uniform manner with one or more
materials and mufflers (silencer) can be used.

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 3. Receptive organs
Using ear mufflers or cotton plugs.
6.5 Hearing Impairment
The total hearing impairment is rare and it is usually from birth itself. Partial disability is
generally the result of a disease, injury or age. Children with impaired hearing need special
care. By learning sign language, such children can communicate effectively. Because speech
develops as the direct result of hearing, a child with a hearing loss may have defective
speech also.
6.6 Hearing Aid
A hearing aid is an electronic device that amplifies sounds for people with hearing
impairments. Hearing aids have the same basic components as any home entertainment
system, except all the components are miniaturised and the amplified sound is delivered
directly to the ear. The microphone, amplifier, miniature receiver (speaker), and battery are
enclosed in a shell, which is worn behind or within the ear. A small tube directs the amplified
sound from the receiver into the ear canal.
7.0 REFLECTION OF SOUND
Just as a mirror reflects light, when sound waves radiating out from a source strike a rigid
obstacle, the angle of reflection of the sound waves equals the angle of incidence.
7.1 Echo
If we shout or clap near a suitable reflecting object such as a tall building or a mountain, we
will hear the same sound again a little later. This sound which we hear is called an echo.
Echoes are produced when sound is reflected by a hard surface, such as a wall or cliff. An
echo can be heard distinctly only if the time interval between the original sound and the
reflected sound is greater than 0.1 s. This is because the sensation of sound persists in our
brain for about 0.1 s.
Let a person shout loudly and he hears an echo of his sound after a time 't' that is reflected
from a wall or hard surface. Let the distance between the source (the person) and the
reflecting surface (the wall) be 's' (see fig.34). Then, the total distance travelled by the
sound to reach again to the listener (the person) will be '2s'. Let 'v' be the speed of sound.

Incidenf sound

Reflecfed soun d
s
1isfener

W all
(or hard sur fa ce) n
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0
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A musical note originates from a source vibrating-----

in a uniform manner (2)
with one or more
Let us take the speed of sound in air to be 344 m/s. The sound must go to the obstacle and
reach back the ear of the listener on reflection after 0.1 s i.e., t = 0.1 s.

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 Clas s VII I : Physics

Hence, the total distance covered by the sound from the point of generation to the
surface and back is,
2s = v × t = (344) × 0.1 = 34.4 m.
The distance between the observer and the reflecting surface is,
v × t 344 × 0.1
s= = = 17.2 m, for an echo to be heard.
2 2
7.2 Reverberation
A sound created in a big hall will persist by repeated reflection from the walls until it is
reduced to a value where it is no longer audible. The repeated reflection that results in this
persistence of sound is called reverberation.
Persistence of sound after the source has stopped as a result of repeated reflections from
walls, ceilings, and other surfaces is called reverberation.
To reduce reverberation, the roof and walls of the auditorium are generally covered with
sound- absorbent materials like compressed fiberboard, rough plaster or draperies. The seat
materials are also selected on the basis of their sound absorbing properties.
The qualities of a room or auditorium that determine how well sound is heard are called
acoustics. Also, the total effect of sound produced in an enclosed space is called acoustics.

Illustration 8. A person clapped his hands near a cliff and heard the echo after 5 s. What is the
distance of the cliff from the person if the speed of the sound, v is taken as 346 m
s–1 ?
Solution Given, Speed of sound, v = 346 m s–1 ; time taken for hearing the echo, t = 5 s ;
distance of the cliff from the person, s = ?

v× t 346 ×
Now, s5 = = = 865 m
2 2

7.3 Applications of Ultrasound

1. Cleaners 2. Meta Flow Detectors 3. Medical diagnostics
4. Echocardiography 5. Ultrasonography 6. Sonar

1. Is the frequency of sound produced by thinner and shorter vocal cord high or low?

[Link] of a body is shown in Fig. What is the amplitude of vibrating body ?

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  Lightning and thunder - Light travel nearly 1 million times faster than sound in air. Thus, we
see lighting first and then we hear its sound (thunder).

 A tuning fork is a two-pronged steel fork which produces sound when struck. A tuning fork
makes a sound as the prongs of the fork vibrate in the air.

 We see that a vibrating object produces sound. In some cases, the vibrations are easily
visible to us. But in most cases, their amplitude is so small that we cannot see them.
However, we can feel them.

 Amplitude- It is the distance from the mean position to maximum displacement of a vibrating
particle.

 A wave is the motion of a disturbance in which particles of medium do not move from one
place to another but they transfer the pattern of disturbance from one place to another.

 In sound waves, the vibrations of particles of the medium through which it travels are
parallel to the direction of travel of the wave. Thus, we can say sound waves are
longitudinal waves.

 A physical environment through which a disturbance (or a wave) can travel is called medium.

 Waves that require a material medium are called mechanical waves. Not all wave
propagation requires a medium. Electromagnetic waves, such as visible light, radio waves,
microwaves, and X rays, can travel through a vacuum.

 The vocal cords in men are about 20 mm long. In women these are about 5 mm shorter.
Children have very short vocal cords. This is the reason why the voices of men, women and
children are different.

 Shorter, thinner vocal cords vibrate at higher frequencies than longer or thicker ones. This
explains why children, whose vocal cords are still growing, have thinner voices than adults.
Muscles in the throat can stretch the vocal cords tighter, letting people vary their frequency
within a limited range.

 The to and fro motion of an object is known as vibration. This motion is also called
oscillatory motion.

 For human ear, the range of audible frequencies is roughly from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

 Some animals can hear sounds of frequencies higher than 20,000 Hz.

Dogs have this ability. The police use high frequency whistles which dogs can hear but
humans cannot.
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problems,
Hence, theworks
total at frequencies
distance higher
covered than
by the 20,000
sound [Link] point of generation to the
from

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 Elephants use infrasonic sound waves to communicate with one another. Their large ears
enable them to detect these low-frequency sound waves, which have relatively long wavelengths.
Elephants can effectively communicate in this way, even when they are separated by many
kilometers.

 Loudness of sound is proportional to the square of the amplitude of the vibration producing
the sound. For example, if the amplitude becomes twice, the loudness increases by a factor
of 22 = 4.

 Pitch, loudness, and quality are all subjective characteristics of sound since they depend on
the perception of the listener.

 An oscilloscope is an electronic instrument that displays the form of electronic signals on a

small monitor similar to a television screen. Sounds can be 'seen' by using a microphone to
convert them into electronic signals, an amplifier to amplify these signals,and an oscilloscope
to display their form.

 Healthy vocal cords are smooth and moist. Laryngitis is an inflammation and swelling of the
vocal cords. As a reuslt, the vocal cord vibrates with low frequency that is, your voice will
sound hoarse or heavy.

 The pitch of the musical note produced in a stringed instrument like guitar depends on the
length, diameter, and tension of thestring. If the string is shorter, narrower, or tighter, the
pitch increases. For example, the thinner guitar strings produce a higher pitch than the
thicker strings.

 The human ear is most sensitive to sounds with a frequency between 2000 Hz and 3400 Hz.
A 1000 Hz sound can be heard at a level of 20 dB, whereas a 100 Hz sound must have an
intensity of at least 50 dB to be audible.

 Technological devices for the hearing impared have made it possible for such persons to
improve their quality of life. Society can do much to improve the living environment for the
hearing impaired and help them live normal lives.

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 SOME WORKED OUT ILLUSTRATIONS
Illustration 1.
For echo to take place, the minimum distance between the source of sound and the reflecting
surface should be :
(A) 17 m (B) 1.7 m (C) 17 cm (D) 34 m
Solution
(A)
Echo takes place when distance between source and reflecting surface is 17 m or more. For
dis- tances less than 17 m, echo is not heard.

Illustration 2.
The speed of wave is 340 ms-1. What is the wavelength of the wave if its frequency is 500
Hz : (A) 0.68 m (B) 6.8 m (C) 68 m (D) 0.68 cm
Solution
(A)
V
=
f
340
= = 0.68 m
500

Illustration 3.
The time period of a vibrating body is 0.01 sec. Its frequency will be :
(A) 1 cycle/second (B) 10 cycle/second (C) 100 cycle/second (D) 1000 cycle/second
Solution
(C)
1
f=
T
1
=0.01 = 100 cycle/sec.

Illustration 4.
If a wave of wavelength  is travelling in a medium with velocity V, then its frequency is:
v  1
(A) (D)
(B) v (C)
 v v
Solution
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OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS

LEVEL-1

1. The maximum displacement of a sound wave on either side of the mean position of its
vibration is the measure of its:
(A) amplitude (B) frequency (C) period (D) speed

2. With reference to sound, the number of to and fro motions of a membrane in per unit time is
expressed in the unit of:
(A) angstrom (B) second (C) meter (D) hertz

3. An object attached to one end of a spring makes 20 vibrations in 10 s. Its frequency

is (A) 2 Hz (B) 10 s (C) 0.05 Hz (D) 2 s

4. A tuning fork, a violin string and a loud speaker cone are producing sound. This is because
they are all in state of
(A) Rest (B) Vibration (C) Rotation (D) Displacement

5. Sound waves cannot travel through

(A) Solids (B) Liquids (C) Gases (D) Vacuum

6. Arrange the materials in the decreasing order of the speed with which sound will travel
through them : metal rod, air, water
(A) Metal rod, air, water (B) Air, water, metal rod
(C) Metal rod, water, air (D) Water, air, metal rod

7. Sound levels are measured in

(A) Decimeters (B) Decibels (C) Deciliters (D) Decigrams

8. You see lightning before you hear the thunder because

(A) Lightning is much brighter than thunder.
(B) Thunder is heavier than lightning
(C) Light can travel through air but sound cannot
(D) Sound travels slower than light.

9. Which of the following properties of a sound wave determine its 'pitch' ?

(A) Amplitude (B) Distance from source to detector
(C) Frequency (D) Speed

10. What do you think a tabla player does to increase the pitch of the sound produced ?
(A) He strikes the tabla skin harder.
(B) The pitch cannot be changed in a tabla.
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(C) He tightens the skin by stretching the string around it. d

(D) He gets a bigger tabla. o

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 12. Which of the following statements is correct ?
(A) The time taken for one oscillation is the frequency.
(B) The distance covered by a vibrating body while making one complete oscillation is four
times the amplitude
(C) The greater the amplitude of a vibrating body, the higher will be the pitch of the sound it
gives out.
(D) In a string instrument, thin strings are used for low pitch notes.

13. Science fiction films often show battles between spaceships. Four friends were arguing what
would someone in space hear if an enemy spaceship exploded ?
Rekha said, 'they would hear a big explosion.'
Renu said, 'they will not hear anything as there is no medium for sound to travel, but they can
see the explosion.'
Ramesh said,' yes, they will not hear anything and they will not be able to see the explosion.'
Raghav said, 'the explosion produces sound of frequency above 20,000 Hz hence we cannot
hear it.' Who is correct ?
(A) Rekha (B) Renu (C) Ramesh (D) Raghav

14. Ultrasound is sound above the human hearing range. It can be heard by
(A) Bats (B) Elephants (C) Lions (D) Sheep

15. The part of the ear that transmits sound vibrations to the brain is the
(A) Cochlea (B) Stirrup (C) Eardrum (D) Auditory nerve

LEVEL-2

1. In the curve (see fig.) half the wavelength is

CDE
AB

(A) A B (B) B D (C) D E (D) A E

2. In the diagram below, the interval PQ represents: time

Disµlacemenf

Q
P fime

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Water waves in the sea are observed to have a wavelength of 300m and a frequency of 0.07 Hz.
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5. The sound waves in a medium are characterised by the
(A) linear motion of particles in the medium
(B) rotatory motion of particles in the medium
(C) oscillatory motion of particles in the medium
(D) none of the above

6. What is the time period of a pendulum if its bob oscillates 100 times in two
seconds? (A) 0.01 s (B) 0.02 s (C) 0.1 s (D) 0.2 s

7. Sound travels in air if

(A) particles of medium travel from one place to another
(B) there is no moisture in the atmosphere
(C) disturbance moves
(D) both particles as well as disturbance travel from one place to another.

8. Humans cannot hear all the sounds produced in their surroundings. The sounds whose
frequencies fall in the audible range can only be heard by humans. The lower limit of the
audible range for human ears is 20 Hz and the upper limit is a × 10b Hz. What are the
respective values of a and b?
(A) 1 and 2 (B) 2 and 4 (C) 3 and 2 (D) 1 and 3

9. In SONAR, we use
(A) ultrasonic waves (B) infrasonic waves
(C) radio waves (D) audible sound waves

10. Below is the main parts of the human ear that take part in
hearing. Parts of the human ear
I Ear canal
II Three tiny
bones III
Eardrum
IV Cochlea
The order in which sound vibration moves through the human ear is
(A) I  II  III  IV (B) I  III  II  IV (C) III  I  IV  II (D) III  IV  I  II

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 SUBJECTIVE QUESTIONS

Very short answer type questions

1. Rank the following waves from fastest to slowest : sound waves, water waves, light waves

2. Give the range of frequency of audible vibrations for the normal human ear ?

3. Put your fingers on the throat and you will find a hard bump that seems to move when you
swallow. What is this part of the body called ?

4. Dolphins communicate under water using sound. What is the name of this sound ?

5. When sound enters in human ear, it travels down a canal at the end of which a thin
membrane is stretched tightly. What is the name of this membrane ?

6. A medical instrument is used for investigating and tracking many medical problems, works at
frequencies higher than 20,000 Hz. What type of sound wave is used by this instrument?

7. Why can't the sound travel through vacuum ?

8. Draw a waveform for musical sound.

9. Show using figures two sounds of different pitch but same loudness.

10. What do you give a name for sound that a originates from a source where the frequencies
are constantly changing in a random manner ?

Short answer type questions

1. Imagine you are cruising in outer space in a spaceship when you notice an asteroid hurtling
towards your ship. You fire a missile and score a direct hit. The asteroid explodes into a
billion pieces. Would you hear the explosion? Explain your answer.

2. Why do we see lightning before we hear the thunder from it ?

3. What happens when the inner ear is exposed to very loud noises ? (Some musicians wear
earplugs when playing in concerts.)

4. How are the pitch and frequency of a sound related ? Give one example each for a low pitch
voice and a high pitch voice.

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 Clas s VII I : Physics
8 What is the difference between noise and music? Show their waveforms and give one
each.
9. Are all sound audible to us? What is the audible range of frequencies for human beings?
What are other sounds called, which are beyond this range ?

10. What do you understand by loudness of audible sound? Which property of sound is linked
with loudness? Show waveforms to show a loud sound and a soft sound.

Long answer type questions

1. Explain in detail how the human ear receives and interprets sound. Make figure.

2. What is noise pollution? What are its sources? How can it be minimised ?

Numerical problems
1. A bicycle wheel spins 25 times in 5 seconds. Calculate the period and frequency of the wheel.

2. The piston in a petrol engine goes up and down 3000 times per minute. For this engine,
calculate the frequency and period of the piston.

3. Calculate the period and frequency for the second hand, minute hand, and hour hand of a clock.

4. The time period of a sound wave from a piano is 1.18 × 10–3 s. Find its frequency.

5. A tuning fork’s tongs vibrate 250 times in 2.0 s. Find (a) the frequency of vibration (b) the
period of vibration.

6. Frequency range of audible sound for humans is 20 Hz and 20000 Hz. Find the
corresponding range of time period for these audible sound.

7. Calculate the period and frequency of a strobe light flashing 25 times in 5.0 seconds.

8. Calculate the frequency, in hertz, for the following cyclical events:

(A) 120 oscillations in 2.0 s (B) 45 revolutions of a turntable in one minute

9. Calculate the frquency, in Hertz, for the following cyclical events:

(A) Ten swings of a pendulum in 6.7 s (B) 1

33 turns of a turntable in one minute.
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10. Convert the frequency to time period in each case for question 9.

Activity based questions

glass jar
1. A scientist performed an experiment as shown in the picture here.
What happened as air was pumped out of the jar and he rang the
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 Clas s VII I : Physics
2.8 Which
What of these
is the pictures between
difference correctly noise
show and
the way sound
music? vibrations
Show travel ? and give one
their waveforms

(A) (B) (C) (D)

3. Which one of these rods of the wind chime produces the sound of highest pitch ?

a
b

c d

(A) c (B) a (C) b (D) d

4. Take a metallic tumbler and a tablespoon. Strike the tablespoon gently at the brim of the
tumbler (see fig.). Now suspend a small thermocole ball touching the rim of the tumbler and
touch it to the vibrating tumbler. See how far the ball is displaced. Now, again strike the
tablespoon at the brim of the tumbler but strike it hard this time. Again touch the thermocole
to the vibrating tumbler and see how far the ball is displaced. Choose the correct option.

(A) The thermocole ball is displaced more when the tumbler is striked hard, as frequency of
vibration is more in this case.
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 Clas s VII I : Physics
5. Each of the four bowls below is filled with water up to different levels. When struck with a
wooden rod, which bowl will produce sound of the lowest pitch?

a. b. c. d.
(A) a (B) b (C) c (D) d

6. In fig.(a), a boy is beating the drum using a stick and thus, drum produces a sound. In fig.
(b), an another boy produces sound using a whistle. Choose the option which shows the
correct waveforms in fig.(a) and fig.(b) respectively.

(a) (b)

(A) (B)

(C) (D)

7. In question 6, frequency in case of fig.(a) and fig(b) are respectively,

(A) high frequency ; high frequency (B) low frequency ; low frequency
(C) low frequency ; high frequency (D) high frequency ; high frequency

NCERT QUESTIONS
1. Choose the correct answer. Sound can travel through
(A) gases only (B) solids only
(C) liquids only (D) solids, liquids and gases.

2. Which of the following voices is likely to have minimum frequency?

(A) Baby girl (B) Baby boy (C) A man (D) A woman

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(c) If the amplitude of vibration is large, sound is feeble. (T / F) \
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(d) For human ears, the audible range is 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. (T / F)

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 4. Fill in the blanks with suitable words.
(a) Time taken by an object to complete one oscillation is called .
(b) Loudness is determined by the of vibration.
(c) The unit of frequency is .
(d) Unwanted sound is called _.
(e) Shrillness of a sound is determined by the of vibration

5. A pendulum oscillates 40 times in 4 seconds. Find its time period and frequency.

6. The sound from a mosquito is produced when it vibrates its wings at an average rate of
500 vibrations per second. What is the time period of the vibration ?

7. Identify the part which vibrates to produce sound in the following instruments.
(a) Dholak (b) Sitar (c) Flute

8. What is the difference between noise and music? Can music become noise sometimes?

9. List sources of noise pollution in your surroundings

10. Explain in what way noise pollution is harmful to humans.

11. Your parents are going to buy a house. They have been offered one on the roadside and
another three lanes away from the roadside. Which house would you suggest your parents
should buy? Explain your answer

12. Sketch larynx and explain its function in your own words.

13. Lightning and thunder take place in the sky at the same time and at the same distance from
us. Lightning is seen earlier and thunder is heard later. Can you explain?

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MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS
True or false
1. A musical tone that is lower in pitch is lower in frequency.

2. The part of the ear is damaged most easily by continued exposure to loud noise is stirrup.

3. When tuning a violin, a string is tightened. The musical note being played on the string
becomes higher in pitch.

4. As air becomes warmer, the speed of sound in air increases.

5. Sound waves are electromagnetic waves like light.

6. The medium through which the sound travels fastest is empty space.

7. The pitch of the sound made by a guitar string can be lowered by replacing the string with a
thicker string.

8. Three small interlocking bones: the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup transmit the vibrations
of the eardrum to the inner ear.

9. Most students have an audible range of about 50 Hz to 50 kHz.

10. Trees must be removed from the road sides and around buildings to reduce the harmful
effects of noise pollution.

Match the column

1. Column-I Column-II
(A) Maximum displacement from mean position (p) Time period
(B) Time in which a particle completes one vibration (q) Amplitude
(C) Number of vibrations produced in 1 second (r) Vibration
(D) A complete to and fro motion (s) Frequency

2. Column-I Column-II
(A) An unpleasant sound (p) Infrasonic sound
(B) Production of human voice (q) Sitar
(C) A stringed instrument (r) Noise
(D) Sound with frequency less than 20 Hz (s) Vocal cords

Fill in the blanks

1. A violin is a........................musical instrument.

2. The pitch is determined by the................of the vibrating body.

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8. Unit for measuring the loudness of sound is ......... .

9. Pitch of sound is linked with .............., similarly loudness of sound is linked with ................... .

10. If the amplitude of the sound is made 3 times its initial value, then its................will becomes
.......... times its initial value.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. A sound wave has a wavelength of 3.0 m. The distance from a compression center to the
adjacent rarefaction center is
(A) 0.75m (B) 1.5 m
(C) 3.0 m (D) need to know wave speed

2. A fire whistle emits a tone of 170 Hz. Take the speed of sound in air to be 340 m/s. The
wavelength of this sound is about
(A) 0.5 m (B) 1.0 m (C) 2.0 m (D) 3.0 m

3. Match column-I with column-II and mark the correct option from the codes given below.
Column-I Column-II
(A) String vibration (p) Tabla
(B) Membrane vibration (q) Bicycle bell
(C) Vibration of air (r) Sitar
(D) Vibration of plate (s) Flute
a b c d a b c d
(A) (p) (s) (q) (r) (B) (r) (p) (s) (q)
(C) (s) (q) (r) (p) (D) (q) (r) (p) (s)

4. Paragraph- Two tuning forks A, B vibrate with frequencies in the ratio 2 : 7 and their
wavelength in the ratio 3 : 4 respectively.
Find the tuning fork producing greater velocity of sound
(A) Tuning fork A (B) Tuning fork B
(C) Both (A) and (B) (D) Cannot be determined

5. In the above paragraph, the tuning fork A produces relatively :

(A) Shrill sound than tuning fork B
(B) Flat sound than tuning for B
(C) Louder sound than tuning for B
(D) Wave of more wavelength than that of tuningfor B

6. In the above paragraph, the wave producing greater wavelength is :

(A) Tuning fork A (B) Tuning fork B
(C) Both (A) and (B) (D) Cannot be determined

n 7. In an experiment, it was determined that the speed of sound in three media ‘X’, ‘Y’and ‘Z’
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were 1412 m s–1, 332ms–1 and 5002ms–1 respectively. Identify X, Y and Z.
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WaterAir Water
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ANSWERS
CHECK POST-1
1. The sounds of frequencies less than about 20 Hz are called infrasonic sounds and they
cannot be detected by human ear. The sounds of frequencies between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz
that can be detected by the human ear are called audible sounds. The sound higher than
20,000 Hz are called ultrasonic sounds and they also cannot be detected by the human ear.
2. As temperature rises, the particles of medium collide more frequently. Thus, the disturbance
can spread faster at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures. In a gas, the
disturbance can spread faster at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures as there
particles can move freely. In liquids and solids, the particles are close enough together that
the difference due to temperature changes is less noticeable.
3. The whole instrument is forced to vibrate, and it is the sound of the vibration of the
instrument that we hear. That is, when we strike the membrane of a drum, the sound that
we hear is not only that of the membrane but of the whole body of the instrument. The
vibrating membrane of a drum (or tabla) is attached to a chamber that amplifies (increases)
the sound.
4. Sound propagates in the medium longitudinally.
5. Waves are disturbances by the oscillatory motion of particles.

CHECK POST-2
1. Shorter, thinner vocal cords vibrate at higher frequencies than longer or thicker ones. Thus,
the frequency of sound produced by thinner and shorter vocal cord is high.
2. Since, amplitude is the distance from the mean position to maximum displacement of a
vibrating particle this means, it is half the total distance covered by the vibrating particle
between its positions of maximum displacement. Thus, in the given case is its (1/2) × (20
cm) = 10 cm.
3. Loudness is proportional to the square of the amplitude i.e., the more the amplitude, more
will be the loudness. Also, loudness depends inversely on the square of the distance from the
source. This means as the distance increases, the loudness decreases.

EXERCISE-1
LEVEL-1
Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ans. A D A B D C B D C C A B B A D

LEVEL-2
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Time period = 0.2 s ; frequency = 5 Hz

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2. Frequency = 50 Hz ; time period = 0.02 s
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For minute hand, period = 1 hr = 3600 s ; frequency = 2.77 × 10–4
Hz For hour hand, period = 12 hr = 43200 s ; frequency = 2.3 × 10–
5 Hz
4. 847.45 Hz 5. (a) 125 Hz (b) 8 × 10–3 s 6. 0.05 s – 5 × 10–5 Hz
7. time period = 0.2 s ; frequency = 5 Hz 8. (a) 60 Hz (b) 0.75 Hz
9. (a) 1.492 Hz (b) 0.555 Hz 10. (a) 0.67 s (b) 1.8 s
Activity based questions
Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Ans. C C A C D B C

NCERT

Que. 1 2 3
Ans. D C (a)-T (b)-F (c)-F (d)-T (e)-F (f)-F (g)-T

4. (a) Time period (b) Amplitude (c) Hertz (d) Noise (e) Frequency

5. 0.1s, 10 Hz

6. 0.002 s

EXERCISE-3
True or false
1. True 2 . False 3. True 4. True 5. False 6. False 7. True
8. True 9. False 10. False

Match the column

1. (A)  q ; (B)  p ; (C)  s ; (D)  r 2. (A)  r ; (B)  s ; (C)  q ; (D)  p

Fill in the blanks

1. Stringed 2. Frequency 3. Amplitude 4. Vibratory or oscillatory 5. Frequency
6. Amplitude 7. Longitudinal 8. Decibel 9. Frequency ; amplitude
10. Loudness ; 9

Multiple Choice Questions

Que. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Ans. B C B B B B C

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