SOUND
1. What is sound?
Ans. Sound is a form of energy which produces the sensation of hearing in us. It is a kind of
longitudinal, mechanical wave.
2. Define vibration.
Ans. Vibration is a kind of rapid to and fro motion of an object.
3. Define the following terms :
(a) Mechanical wave : A wave which requires a material medium for its propagation is called a
mechanical wave.
Examples -- sound waves, water waves, etc.
(b) Electromagnetic wave : A wave which does not require any material medium for its
propagation is called an electromagnetic wave.
Examples -- light waves, radio waves, etc.
4. What is a wave?
Ans. A wave is a progressing disturbance in an elastic medium that carries energy from one
place to another without any corresponding bulk motion of matter.
Examples -- sound waves, water waves, etc.
5. Mention the two kinds of mechanical waves.
Ans. Based on the oscillation of particles of a medium with respect to the direction of wave
propagation, mechanical waves are of two kinds ---
(a) Longitudinal wave -- A mechanical wave in which the particles of the medium oscillate
back and forth parallel to the direction of wave propagation is called a longitudinal wave.
Example -- sound waves.
(b) Transverse wave -- A mechanical wave in which the particles of the medium oscillate up
and down perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation is called a transverse wave.
Example -- water waves.
5. Define the following terms in relation to a wave.
(a) Wavelength -- The length of a complete wave is called wavelength.
The distance between two consecutive compressions or consecutive rarefactions in a
longitudinal wave is the wavelength.
In case of a transverse wave, the distance between two consecutive crests or two
consecutive troughs is the wavelength.
( Note : Wavelength is usually denoted by λ. Its SI unit is metre.)
(b) Frequency -- The number of oscillations per unit time is called the frequency. It can also be
defined as the number of complete waves that pass a fixed point per unit time.
[Note : Frequency is usually denoted by ν. Its SI unit is hertz (Hz) , named in honour of Heinrich
Rudolph Hertz. ]
(c) Time period -- The time taken by a wave for one complete oscillation of the density or
pressure of the medium is called the time period.
(d) Amplitude -- The magnitude of the maximum displacement in the medium, on either side of
the mean position, is called the amplitude of the wave.
(e) Compressions and Rarefactions -- When a longitudinal wave travels through a medium then
the regions where particles are crowded together i.e, where density as well as pressure are high
are called compressions. Again, rarefactions are the regions of low pressure and density where
particles are spread apart.
(f) Crests and Troughs -- When a transverse wave travels through a medium then the peaks that
form in the medium are called crests and the valleys are called troughs.
6. Write differences between transverse wave and longitudinal wave.
Ans.
Transverse wave Longitudinal wave
(i) Particles of the medium oscillate up and (i) Particles of the medium oscillate back and
down perpendicular to the direction of wave forth parallel to the direction of wave
propagation. propagation
(ii) Propagate in the form of crests and (ii) Propagate in the form of compressions and
troughs. rarefactions.
(iii) Can propagate through solids and surface (iii) Can propagate through solids, liquids as
of liquids but not in gases. well as through gases.
7. Write an experiment to show that sound needs a medium to travel.
Ans. Sound is a mechanical wave and needs a material medium like air, water, steel, etc. for its
propagation. This can be demonstrated by the following experiment.
An electric bell it suspended inside an airtight glass bell jar, connected to a vacuum pump.
When the bell is switched on, its sound can be heard from outside. Now, the vacuum pump is
started. As the air in the jar is pumped out gradually, the sound becomes fainter, although the
same current pases through the bell. After sometime when less air is left inside the bell jar, a
very feeble sound is heard. If the air is removed completely, no sound can be heard from outside.
This shows that sound needs a medium ( here air) to travel.
8. Why are sound waves called mechanical waves?
Ans. Sound waves need a material medium such as air, water, steel, etc. for their propagation.
They cannot travel through vacuum. That is why, sound waves car called mechanical waves.
9. Define speed of sound.
Ans. The speed of sound is defined as the distance which a point on a sound wave, such as a
compression or a rarefaction travels per unit time.
10. On what factors does the speed of sound depend?
Ans. The speed of sound depends primarily on the nature and the temperature of the
transmitting medium.
[Note : (i) The speed of sound decreases when we go from solid to gaseous state.
(ii) In any medium, as we increase the temperature, the speed of sound increases. ]
11. Write the speed of sound in air at 0°C and 22°C.
Ans. 331 m/s at 0°C and 344 m/s at 22°C.
12. Give reasons : The sound of a thunder is heard a little later than the flash of light is seen.
Ans. The speed of sound in air is 344 m/s and that of light is 3 × 10⁸ m/s. Thus, sound travels
with a speed which is much less than the speed of light. That is why, the sound of a thunder is
heard a little later than the flash of light is seen.
13. What is the audible range of the average human ear?
Ans. The audible range of sound for human beings is about 20 Hz to 20000 Hz.
14. Name and define the different characteristics associated with sound.
Ans. The characteristics associated with sound are ---
(a) Pitch -- Pitch describes how the brain interpretes the frequency of sound. It is the
characteristic that makes it possible to distinguish between two sounds produced by the same
instrument having the same loudness but distinct frequencies.
(b) Loudness -- It is defined as the characteristic of sound that enables us to distinguish a
week or feeble sound from a loud sound. The loudness of sound depends on the amplitude of
the sound wave.
[ Note : The unit of loudness of sound is decibel (dB).]
(c) Quality -- The quality or timber of sound is that characteristic which enables us to distinguish
one sound from another having the same pitch and loudness.
15. Define the terms --
(a) Tone -- The sound of single frequency is called a tone.
For example, in Indian musicsa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha andni represent tones.
(b) Note -- The sound which is produced due to a mixture of several frequencies is called a note
and is pleasant to listen.
(c) Noise -- Noise is an unwanted sound considered unpleasant to the ear. Sound waves which
are produced by irregular non periodic vibrations of a body are non-musical in character (noise).
