Class 9
Science
Ch sound
sound is a form of energy which produces a sensation of hearing in our ears.
Propagation of Sound: Sound is produced by vibrating objects.
Medium: The matter or substance through which sound is transmitted is called a
medium. It can be solid, liquid or gas. Air is the most common medium for sound
propagation.
The sound waves are mechanical waves as they require a medium to travel
Speed of sound in air is 341 m per second
Waves are of two types
1 longitudinal wave
It consists of compression and rarefaction
2 transverse wave
It consists of crest and trough
Properties of Sound Waves:
Frequency: Number of oscillations of sound waves is called its frequenc
is represented by v (nu) and its SI unit is Hertz (Hz).
Time Period: The time taken to complete one oscillation is called its time period. Its unit
is second and is represented by T.
Relation of frequency and time period:
v = 1/T
Amplitude: The magnitude of the maximum disturbance in the medium on either side of
the mean value is called the amplitude of the wave. It is usually represented by the letter
A. Its unit is meter.
Softness or Loudness of Sound: If the amplitude is smaller then the sound will be softer
and if it is larger then sound will be louder. Higher amplitude helps the sound wave is
travelling faster.
Speed of sound: It is the distance which compression or a rarefaction travels per unit of
time.
So, Speed = Wavelength Frequency
The speed of the sound remains almost the same for all frequencies in a given medium
under the same physical condition.
The physiological response of the ear to the intensity of sound is called loudness. It is
determined by the amplitude of the wave.
• Pitch is the sensation which helps in distinguishing a shrill sound from a loud sound.
It is determined by the frequency of the wave.
• Quality (timbre) distinguishes one sound from another sound of the same pitch and
loudness. It is determined by the wave form of the sound.
• A sound of single frequency is called a tone.
• The sound produced by a mixture of several frequencies is called a note.
Reflection of Sound: Sound reflects off a surface in the same way as light reflects and
follows same rules of reflection. The incident sound and the reflected sound make
equal angles with the normal and all three are in the same plane.
Echo: In bigger monuments and in large empty halls you can hear reflections of your
sound after you speak something. This effect is known as echo. The sensation of sound
persists in our brain for 0.1 seconds,
Reverberation: Repeated reflections of sound results in persistence of sound and is
called reverberation.
Use of Reverberation of Sound: Following instruments use this property of sound:
1. Megaphones, Shehanais, Trumpets
2. Stethoscope
3. Curved dome of concert halls
Range of Hearing in humans:
From 20 Hz to 20000 Hz
Sounds below 20 Hz are called infrasonic.
Sounds above 20000 Hz are called ultrasonic
Application of Ultrasound
1. It is used for medical diagnosis and therapy and also as a surgical tool.
2. It is used as a tool in the treatment of muscular pain.
3. It is employed to identify cracks and imperfections in metal blocks.
4. Bats and Porpoises use ultrasound for navigation and to locate food in darkness.