Chapter: Sound
1. Sound
Sound is a form of energy that produces the sensation of hearing. It is produced
due to the vibration of objects and travels through a material medium in the form
of waves.
2. Vibration
Vibration is the to-and-fro or back-and-forth motion of an object about its mean
position.
Example: Vibration of a tuning fork, vibrating guitar string.
3. Wave
A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy from one place to another without
the actual transfer of matter.
4. Mechanical Wave
Mechanical waves are waves that require a material medium to propagate.
Types of Mechanical Waves
Longitudinal Waves
Transverse Waves
5. Longitudinal Waves
A longitudinal wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate parallel
to the direction of propagation of the wave.
It consists of compressions and rarefactions.
Sound waves in air are longitudinal waves.
Compression: Region of high pressure and high density.
Rarefaction: Region of low pressure and low density.
6. Transverse Waves
A transverse wave is a wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate
perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the wave.
Examples: Waves on the surface of water, waves on a stretched string.
7. Characteristics of Sound
Sound has three main characteristics:
Loudness – depends on amplitude
Pitch – depends on frequency
Quality (Timbre) – depends on waveform
8. Frequency
Frequency is the number of vibrations or oscillations produced per second.
SI unit: Hertz (Hz)
Higher frequency → Higher pitch
9. Amplitude
Amplitude is the maximum displacement of vibrating particles from their mean
position.
Determines the loudness of sound
Greater amplitude → Louder sound
10. Speed of Sound
The speed of sound is the distance travelled by sound per unit time.
Speed depends on the medium and temperature.
Sound travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases.
11. Wavelength
Wavelength (λ) is the distance between two consecutive compressions or two
consecutive rarefactions.
SI unit: metre (m)
12. Relation Between Speed, Frequency and Wavelength
Speed of sound = Frequency × Wavelength
v=f×λ
13. Echo
An echo is the repetition of sound caused by the reflection of sound waves from a
distant surface.
Conditions for echo:
Time gap between original sound and reflected sound should be at least 0.1
second.
Reflecting surface should be at least 17 m away.
14. Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound due to multiple reflections after the
sound source has stopped producing sound.
Excessive reverberation makes sound unclear.
Reduced by using curtains, carpets, acoustic panels.
15. Audible Range
The audible range of sound for human beings is from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (20
kHz).
16. Infrasonic Sound (Infrasound)
Infrasonic sounds are sound waves with frequency less than 20 Hz.
Applications of Infrasound
Used to detect earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Used by animals like elephants and whales for long-distance communication.
Used in studying movements of the earth’s crust.
17. Ultrasonic Sound (Ultrasound)
Ultrasonic sounds are sound waves with frequency greater than 20,000 Hz.
Applications of Ultrasound
Medical imaging (sonography)
Detecting cracks in metal blocks
Ultrasonic cleaning
Key Points to Remember
Sound needs a medium to travel.
Sound cannot travel in vacuum.
Loudness depends on amplitude.
Pitch depends on frequency.