Sound
Sound: Sound is a vibration that propagates as mechanical waves through a
transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. It give us the sensation of hearing.
Wave:
A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy and momentum from one point to another in
a medium.
•Types of waves
Longitudinal waves
In these waves, the vibration of the medium is parallel to the direction the wave travels.
Sound waves , mechanical waves and P-type earthquake waves are examples of
longitudinal waves.
Transverse waves :In these waves, the vibrations are perpendicular to the direction of the
wave’s motion. Waves on water , Seismic secondary waves , electromagnetic waves are an
example of transverse waves.
Mechanical waves
These waves require a medium to travel through. They cannot propagate in a vacuum.
Electromagnetic waves
These waves are created by the coupling of an electric and magnetic field.
Vibration is the back and forth motion of a particle or the body and this type of motion is
called oscillatory motion
Wavelength
The distance between two successive crests or troughs (or) successive compressions and
rarefactions is called wavelength (λ). The SI unit of wavelength is metre (m).
Time period
The time taken to complete one oscillation is called time period
The time taken by two consecutive compressions or rarefactions to cross a fixed point is
called a Time period (T). The SI unit of time in seconds (s).
Frequency
The number of oscillation in a unit time is called frequency.
The number of compressions or rarefactions per unit time is called frequency (𝛎).
The SI unit of frequency is Hertz. The SI unit is Hertz (s−1)
Speed (v), wavelength (λ) and frequency (𝛎) are related as v=λ𝛎
Loudness refers to how loud or soft a sound seems to a listener. Loudness is the subjective
perception of sound pressure
The loudness of a sound depends on the following factors:
Amplitude: Loudness is directly proportional to the square of the amplitude of the sound
The distance between the listener and the sound source : The intensity (subjective
loudness) of sound is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from its source.
This is known as the inverse square law
The sensitivity of the listener's ear affects how loud they perceive a sound.
The medium through which sound travels (air, water, solid objects) can impact
loudness. Sound travels more efficiently through denser materials, making it seem
louder
Loudness of sound is measured in decibel (dB).
Prolonged exposure to sounds above 85 dB can cause hearing damage.
Normal: breathing: 10 dB Soft whisper: 20-30 dB
Moderate: Normal conversation: 60 dB Library: 40 dB
Loud: Traffic noise: 70 dB Hairdryer: 70 dB
Very loud: Car horn: 110 dB Lawn mower: 90 dB Jet engine: 150 dB
The intensity of sound is defined as the power carried by sound waves per unit area in a
direction perpendicular to that area.
intensity of sound" refers to the amount of sound energy passing through a unit area per
second (NCERT); essentially, it's the power of sound per unit area, measured in watts per
square meter (W/m²).
Multiple reflection of sound is when sound waves bounce off obstacles and reflect many
times before reaching a listener.
Multiple reflection of sound has many uses, including:
Musical instruments
Multiple reflection can make instruments and singing sound “bigger” and “more live”.
Stethoscopes
Multiple reflections amplify the sound of the heartbeat so a doctor can hear it.
Concert halls
The ceilings of concert halls are designed to allow sound to reflect and reach all parts of
the building.
SONAR
Reflections are analysed to create an image of unseen surfaces.
SONAR stands for Sound Navigation and Ranging. SONAR is a process of
communicating or detecting objects underwater. It is generally used by ships,
submarines to detect underwater objects like rocks, icebergs which causes serious
risk to the ships. Submarines also communicate with the help of SONAR and during
wars military ships and submarines and detect underwater torpedo and missile attack
with the help of SONAR.
Working of the SONAR
SONAR works using ultrasonic waves. A transmitter and receiver are used in SONAR
techniques. Sonar, or Sound Navigation and Ranging, uses sound waves to detect
objects underwater:
1. Transmit
A sonar device’s transmitter sends out a pulse of ultrasonic sound waves into the water.
2. Reflect
If an object is in the path of the sound waves, the sound bounces off the object and returns
to the sonar device as an echo.
3. Receive
The sonar device’s detector receives the echo and converts it into electrical signals.
4. Calculate
The sonar device calculates the time it took for the sound to travel and the distance from
where the sound was reflected.
5. Interpret
The sonar device interprets the electrical signals to determine the underwater condition
and obstacles.
Sonar is used for many purposes, including:
Measuring depth: Sonar can measure the depth of the ocean.
Detecting objects: Sonar can detect objects underwater, such as shipwrecks.
Navigation: Sonar can be used for navigation purposes.
Fishing: Sonar can be used to detect fish, structures, and the seafloor around a fishing
vessel.
The range of human hearing is typically between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz:
Audible Wave: The human ear is sensitive to sound waves of frequency between 20Hz to
20kHz. This range is known as the audible range and these waves are known as audible
waves. Eg.: Waves produced by vibrating sitar, guitar, organ pipes, flutes, shehnai, etc.
Infrasonic Wave: A longitudinal elastic wave whose frequency is below the audible range
i.e. 20Hz, is called an infrasonic wave. Eg: It is generally generated during an earthquake.
Earthquakes, volcanoes, avalanches, ocean waves, waterfalls, meteors, wind,
thunder, and weather
Animals like Whales, elephants, hippos, rhinos, giraffes, okapis, peacocks, and
alligators use infrasound to communicate over long distances
Ultrasonic Wave: A longitudinal wave whose frequency is above the upper limit of audible
range i.e. 20 kHz, is called an ultrasonic wave. Eg: It is generated by Quartz crystal.
Bats dolphins rats
Application of ultrasound
Ultrasound technology has a wide range of applications across various fields,
including medicine, industry, and research. Here are some key applications:
1. Medical Applications:
Diagnostic Imaging (Ultrasonography): The most common use of ultrasound is in medical
imaging to visualize internal organs, tissues, and blood flow. For example:
Pregnancy: Monitoring foetal development and checking the health of the baby.
Abdominal Scans: Assessing organs like the liver, kidneys, and gallbladder.
Cardiology: Evaluating heart conditions with echocardiograms.
Musculoskeletal Imaging: Visualizing muscles, tendons, and joints to detect injuries or
inflammation
Breaking Kidney Stones: Shockwave therapy can break down kidney stones.
Nondestructive Testing (NDT): Ultrasound is used to detect flaws or defects in materials
such as metal, plastic, and concrete.
Food Processing: Ultrasound is applied in food preservation, emulsification, and
homogenization.
Sonic Boom :A sonic boom is a loud, sharp sound caused by an object traveling faster
than the speed of sound.
The sonic boom is a sudden change in pressure that sounds like a loud explosion or
thunder.
Jet Aircrafts ,bullets often travel at supersonic speed.
Q How do bats catch their food?
The bats use ultrasound to catch a prey by using the phenomenon of reflection of sound
waves. The bats produce the ultrasonic wave which gets reflected from the prey and
returns to the bats’ ears. This makes the bat to find out the distance and position of the
prey.
Human ear
Ears are one of the five sensory organs of our body. Other than hearing, the main function is
to maintain the balance of the body. Structure of ear comprises three main sections: the
outer ear, middle ear and inner ear.
Outer Ear – Parts of Outer ear
The outer or external ear comprises the following parts
Pinna is the outermost part, it has very fine hairs and glands. The glands secrete wax. It
protects foreign organisms and dust from entering.
External auditory canal or meatus is connected to pinna at the outer side and extends till
tympanic membrane or eardrum. They also have wax glands.
Tympanic membrane or eardrum is made up of connective tissue. The tympanic
membrane separates the outer ear from the middle ear.
Pinna receives the sound in the form of vibration. The sound waves reach and vibrate the
eardrum through the external auditory canal.
Middle Ear – The middle ear anatomy is as follows –
It contains a chain of three tiny bones malleus, incus and stapes, present in the same
order.
Malleus is a hammer-shaped bone, attached to the tympanic membrane.
Incus is an anvil-shaped bone, present between the malleus and stapes.
Stapes is the smallest bone of the body. It is stirrup-shaped and attached to the oval
window of the cochlea.
The eustachian tube is the connection between the middle ear and the pharynx. It
equalises pressure between the middle ear and the outer atmosphere.
The middle ear amplifies the sound waves and transmits to the inner ear.
The inner ear anatomy consists of the following parts –
Inner ear is the part of the ear containing the structures of the senses of equilibrium and
hearing. A cavity in the temporal bone – the bony labyrinth is split into 3 sections – the
semicircular canals, vestibule, and the cochlea.
The inner ear is called the labyrinth. It is composed of a group of interconnected canals
and sacs.
The membranous labyrinth is present inside the bony labyrinth and surrounded by a fluid
known as perilymph.
The endolymph is filled within the membranous labyrinth.
Auditory receptors are located in the cochlea and vestibular apparatus maintains the body
balance.
The cochlea, a spiral-shaped, fluid-filled organ within the inner ear, is crucial for hearing,
converting sound vibrations into electrical signals that the brain interprets as sound.
The inner ear's vestibular system, including the semicircular canals and otolith
organs, detects head and body movements, sending signals to the brain to maintain
balance, which is then integrated with information from vision and body position
to achieve equilibrium