Class 9: Sound Chapter 8
Nature of Sound
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Sound is a form of:
– a) Light
– b) Heat
– c) Mechanical energy
– d) Electrical energy
Answer: c) Mechanical energy
2. Which of the following is required for sound to travel?
– a) Vacuum
– b) Medium
– c) None
– d) Energy
Answer: b) Medium
3. Sound travels faster in:
– a) Air
– b) Water
– c) Steel
– d) Vacuum
Answer: c) Steel
4. Sound cannot travel through:
– a) Solid
– b) Liquid
– c) Gas
– d) Vacuum
Answer: d) Vacuum
5. The speed of sound in air at 20°C is approximately:
– a) 343 m/s
– b) 320 m/s
– c) 1500 m/s
– d) 330 m/s
Answer: a) 343 m/s
Short Answer Questions
1. What is sound? Answer: Sound is a mechanical wave that is created by vibrating
objects and propagates through a medium such as air, water, or solids.
2. Can sound travel through a vacuum? Why? Answer: No, sound cannot travel through
a vacuum because it requires a medium (such as air or water) to propagate.
3. Define frequency in terms of sound. Answer: Frequency is the number of vibrations
or cycles per second in a sound wave, measured in Hertz (Hz).
4. What is amplitude in sound waves? Answer: Amplitude is the maximum
displacement of particles from their equilibrium position during the propagation of
sound waves, determining the loudness of sound.
5. Explain the term ’wavelength’ in sound. Answer: Wavelength is the distance
between two consecutive compressions or rarefactions in a sound wave.
Descriptive Type Questions
1. Describe how sound is produced. Answer: Sound is produced when an object
vibrates, creating compressions and rarefactions in the surrounding medium (air,
water, or solid). These vibrations are transmitted as mechanical waves through the
medium to reach our ears.
2. Discuss the properties of sound waves. Answer: Sound waves are longitudinal
waves characterized by frequency, amplitude, speed, and wavelength. They require
a medium for propagation, and their properties depend on the medium’s
characteristics such as density and elasticity.
3. Explain how sound travels through different mediums. Answer: Sound travels as a
mechanical wave, moving faster in solids than in liquids and slower in gases. In
solids, the particles are closely packed, enabling quicker transmission of vibrations,
while in gases, the particles are more spread out.
4. What is the effect of temperature on the speed of sound? Answer: As the
temperature of the medium increases, the speed of sound increases. This is because
higher temperatures make the particles of the medium vibrate faster, which allows
sound to travel more quickly.
5. Explain how the human ear perceives sound. Answer: The human ear consists of the
outer ear (pinna), middle ear (eardrum and ossicles), and inner ear (cochlea). Sound
waves are collected by the pinna, travel through the ear canal, cause vibrations in
the eardrum, which are then amplified by the ossicles. Finally, the vibrations are
converted into electrical signals by the cochlea and sent to the brain.
Numerical Type Questions
1. If the speed of sound in air is 343 m/s, how long will it take for sound to travel 1
km?
d 1000 m
t= = ≈ 2.92 s
v 343 m/ s
Answer: 2.92 seconds
2. A sound wave has a frequency of 500 Hz and a wavelength of 0.68 m. What is the
speed of sound?
v=f × λ=500 H z × 0.68 m=340 m/s
Answer: 340 m/s
3. If a sound wave travels at a speed of 1500 m/s and its frequency is 300 Hz, what is
its wavelength?
v 1500 m/ s
λ= = =5 m
f 300 H z
Answer: 5 meters
4. What is the frequency of a sound wave if its wavelength is 2 m and the speed of
sound is 343 m/s?
v 343 m/s
f= = =171.5 H z
λ 2m
Answer: 171.5 Hz
5. A tuning fork produces a sound with a frequency of 440 Hz. How many waves will
pass a point in 5 seconds?
Number of waves=Frequency × Time=440 H z ×5 s=2200 waves
Answer: 2200 waves
Propagation of Sound
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Sound waves are:
– a) Transverse
– b) Longitudinal
– c) Electromagnetic
– d) None of the above
Answer: b) Longitudinal
2. The speed of sound in air is least affected by:
– a) Temperature
– b) Humidity
– c) Pressure
– d) Density of air
Answer: c) Pressure
Short Answer Questions
1. Explain the difference between longitudinal and transverse waves. Answer:
Longitudinal waves have particle motion parallel to the direction of wave
propagation, while transverse waves have particle motion perpendicular to the
direction of wave propagation.
2. What is the effect of humidity on the speed of sound? Answer: Higher humidity
increases the speed of sound because the air becomes less dense, allowing sound
waves to travel faster.
3. Why do sound waves require a medium to propagate? Answer: Sound waves are
mechanical waves that depend on particle vibration in a medium to transfer energy
from one point to another.
4. Explain refraction of sound waves. Answer: Refraction of sound occurs when sound
waves pass from one medium to another with a different speed, causing a change in
the direction of the wave.
5. What is the relationship between frequency and pitch of sound? Answer: Higher
frequencies produce higher-pitched sounds, while lower frequencies produce
lower-pitched sounds.
Descriptive Type Questions
1. Discuss the propagation of sound in different mediums. Answer: Sound propagates
differently in solids, liquids, and gases due to the differences in particle density. In
solids, the particles are tightly packed, allowing sound to travel faster. In liquids,
sound travels at a moderate speed, while in gases, the sound travels at the slowest
speed due to the low density of particles.
2. Explain the phenomenon of echo. Answer: Echo is the reflection of sound waves
from a surface, resulting in the perception of the same sound after a delay. It occurs
when sound waves reflect off a distant object or surface and return to the listener.
3. Describe how sound waves are refracted. Answer: When sound waves pass through
different mediums or change temperature, their speed changes, causing the waves
to bend or refract. This bending of sound waves can affect the direction and path of
the sound.
4. What are the characteristics of sound waves? Answer: The main characteristics of
sound waves are frequency, amplitude, wavelength, and speed. These determine the
pitch, loudness, and speed of sound in different mediums.
5. How does the medium affect the speed of sound? Answer: The speed of sound is
faster in solids due to closely packed molecules and slower in gases due to widely
spaced molecules. It is also influenced by the temperature and density of the
medium.
Numerical Type Questions
1. A sound wave has a wavelength of 2.5 meters and a frequency of 136 Hz. What is the
speed of sound?
v=f × λ=136 H z × 2.5 m=340 m/s
Answer: 340 m/s
2. If the wavelength of a sound is 1.2 meters and the speed of sound is 340 m/s, what
is the frequency?
v 340 m/s
f= = =283.33 H z
λ 1.2 m
Answer: 283.33 Hz
3. What is the wavelength of a sound wave with a frequency of 600 Hz and a speed of
360 m/s?
v 360 m/s
λ= = =0.6 m
f 600 H z
Answer: 0.6 meters
4. A sound wave travels 500 meters in 2 seconds. What is the speed of sound?
d 500 m
v= = =250 m/s
t 2s
Answer: 250 m/s
5. A sound wave has a frequency of 800 Hz and travels at a speed of 340 m/s. What is
its wavelength?
v 340 m/s
λ= = =0.425 m
f 800 H z
Answer: 0.425 meters