How Sound is Produced?

The substance through which sound travels is called a medium. A

medium can be a solid, liquid, or gas.

Process of Sound Propagation:

Note: It is the disturbance caused by the vibrations that travels through the medium,
not the particles themselves.
 Sound travels in the form of wave

Sound as a Wave:

A wave is a disturbance that travels through a medium, carrying

energy.
Sound travels in the form of mechanical waves, which require a
medium to propagate.

This mechanism allows sound to move efficiently through solids,

liquids, and gases, enabling us to hear vibrations from various sources.
 Mechanical Waves Electromagnetic Waves

Waves that require a medium to Waves that do not require a medium to

propagate. propagate.

Example: Sound waves Example: Light waves

Cannot travel through a vacuum. Can travel through a vacuum.

 Q. State the difference between transverse and longitudinal waves.

Transverse Waves Longitudinal Waves

Particles oscillate perpendicular to the direction of Particles oscillate parallel to the direction of wave
wave propagation. propagation.

Has compressions (high-pressure regions) and

Has crests (high points) and troughs (low points).
rarefactions (low-pressure regions).

Examples: Light waves, water waves, and waves on Examples: Sound waves, waves in a slinky, and
a string. seismic P-waves.

Can travel without a medium (e.g., light in space). Always requires a medium (e.g., air, water, or solid).

Do not require material medium particles to Mechanical in nature; requires vibration of medium
vibrate. particles.

Can be demonstrated using a rope. Can be demonstrated using a stretched slinky.

TRANSVERSE WAVES LONGITUDINAL WAVES
 Feature Compression Rarefaction

Region where particles are closely packed, Region where particles are spread apart, resulting in low
Definition
resulting in high pressure. pressure.

Pressure High pressure Low pressure

Density High density Low density

Particle
Particles are tightly packed together. Particles are spread apart.
Arrangement

Motion of Particles Particles move towards each other. Particles move away from each other.

The vibrating object moves forward, pushing The vibrating object moves backward, pulling particles
Occurs When
particles together. apart.

Forms the part of the wave where energy is

Wave Type Forms the part of the wave where energy is spread out.
compressed.

When a tuning fork vibrates and compresses air When the fork moves backward, creating a region with
Example
in front of it. less air pressure.
 Sound waves as longitudinal waves:

Sound waves are longitudinal waves because the particles of the

medium through which they travel vibrate parallel to the direction of
wave propagation:

When a sound is produced, it causes the surrounding particles (like

air molecules) to oscillate back and forth along the direction in
which the wave is moving.
This creates regions of compression (where particles are close
together) and rarefaction (where particles are spread out).
These compressions and rarefactions move through the medium,
transferring sound energy.
Thus, sound waves are longitudinal because the particle motion
(vibration) and wave direction are aligned.
 Production of Sound waves

Compression Rarefaction
 SOUND NEEDS A MEDIUM TO TRAVEL

Experiment: Sound and Air Medium

Setup: Electric bell placed inside an airtight glass
bell jar connected to a vacuum pump.
Observation:
Bell rings, and sound is heard when air is
present.
As air is gradually removed using the vacuum
pump, the sound becomes fainter.
When most air is removed, only a very feeble
sound is heard.
If all air is removed (complete vacuum), the
sound cannot be heard.
Conclusion: Sound requires a medium (like air) to
travel. In a vacuum, sound cannot propagate.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A
SOUND WAVES

Frequency Amplitude Speed

 Frequency (ν):
Frequency: the number of oscillations
(compressions and rarefactions) that
pass a fixed point in one second.

SI Unit: Hertz (Hz).

Related to the pitch of sound - How

the brain interprets frequency.

Higher frequency = Higher pitch.

Example: A violin has a higher pitch

due to its higher frequency compared
to a drum.
 Frequency (ν):

When a sound wave propagates through a medium, the density of the

medium oscillates between a maximum value (compression) and a
minimum value (rarefaction).
The time taken for one complete oscillation from maximum density to
minimum and back to maximum defines the time period (T) of the wave.
 Amplitude (A):

The maximum displacement of particles from their

equilibrium position during a wave oscillation.
Determines: Loudness of the sound.
Loudness is a measure of the response of the
ear to the sound

Larger amplitude → louder sound.

Smaller amplitude → softer sound.

Behavior:
As sound travels away from the source, its
amplitude decreases, reducing its loudness.
 Wavelength (λ):
The distance between two consecutive
compressions (peaks or crests) or two
consecutive rarefactions (troughs) in a
sound wave.

SI Unit: Meter (m).

Symbol: lambda (λ).
The wavelength is the physical distance over which the wave pattern
repeats.

Example: If a sound wave moves through air, the distance from one
compression to the next compression or one rarefaction to the next
rarefaction is its wavelength.
 Speed (v):
The distance traveled by a sound wave
per unit time.

SI unit : m/s.

Factors Affecting Speed:

Depends on the nature of the medium

(solid, liquid, or gas).
Increases with temperature and density
of the medium.
Example: Sound travels faster in solids
(e.g., iron) than in gases (e.g., air).
 Speed of Sound in Different Media
Sound propagates at a finite speed, which is much slower
than the speed of light. This explains why thunder is heard
after lightning is seen.
The speed of sound depends on the properties of the
medium (solid, liquid, or gas) and its temperature.
Sound travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and
slowest in gases.
As the temperature of a medium increases, the speed of
sound also increases.
Examples:
Speed of sound in air:
At 0°C: 331 m/s
At 22°C: 344 m/s
 Relation with between λ, v and ν
We know that, The speed of sound is defined as the distance a point on a sound
wave (such as a compression or rarefaction) travels per unit of time.
Formula for Speed of Sound:

The frequency (ν\nuν) is related to the time period by

Substituting this into the equation:

v=λν
Hence, the speed of sound = wavelength × frequency.
 Effect of
sound on
density:

Effect of
sound on
pressure:

Graph for the

density and
pressure variations:
 All Important Terms!
Term Definition

Compression The region in a sound wave where particles are crowded together, resulting in high
(C) density and pressure. Represented by the peaks in the wave graph.

The region in a sound wave where particles are spread apart, resulting in low density and
Rarefaction (R)
pressure. Represented by the troughs in the wave graph.

The distance between two consecutive compressions or rarefactions in a sound wave. Its
Wavelength (λ)
SI unit is metre (m).

The number of oscillations or waves passing a given point per unit time. It is represented
Frequency (ν)
by the Greek letter nu (ν) and its SI unit is Hertz (Hz).

The time taken for one complete oscillation of the wave (from one compression to the
Time Period (T)
next or one rarefaction to the next). Its SI unit is seconds (s).

The maximum disturbance or displacement in the medium from its mean position. It
Amplitude (A)
determines the loudness of sound; larger amplitude means louder sound.
 Term Definition

How the brain interprets the frequency of sound. Higher frequency results in a higher
Pitch
pitch.

The measure of the ear’s response to sound, dependent on the amplitude of the sound
Loudness
wave. Louder sounds have greater amplitude and energy.

The amount of sound energy passing through a unit area per second. Intensity is a
Intensity
physical property and independent of human perception.

The distance traveled by a sound wave in a unit of time. It is the product of wavelength
Speed of
and frequency: v=λνv = λνv=λν. The speed of sound remains almost constant for all
Sound (v)
frequencies in the same medium under identical conditions.

Trough The lowest point in a sound wave, corresponding to rarefaction.

Crest The highest point in a sound wave, corresponding to compression.

Mechanical
A wave, such as sound, that requires a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to propagate.
Wave
 Supersonic Speed and Sonic Boom
Supersonic Speed: When an object travels faster than the speed of sound,
it is moving at supersonic speed.
Examples: Bullets, jet aircraft.

Sonic Boom:
A sharp and loud sound produced when a supersonic object generates
shock waves in the air.
These shock waves carry significant energy, causing intense air pressure
variations.
Effects: Can shatter glass.
May damage buildings
 Reflection of Sound
Like light, sound also bounces back when it falls on a hard surface. It is
called reflection of sound. The laws of reflection of light are also applicable
to reflection of sound.

i. The incident sound wave, the reflected

sound wave and normal at the point of
incidence lie in the same plane.

ii. Angle of reflection of sound is always

equal to the angle of incidence of sound.
 Echo
The phenomenon where a sound produced is heard again due to
reflection is called an echo.

To hear a distinct echo sound, the time

interval between the original and reflected
sound must be at least 0.1s, as sound
persists in our brain for about 0.1s. The
minimum distance for obstruction or
reflective surface to hear an echo should be
17.2 m. Multiple echoes can be heard due to
multiple reflections.
 Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound caused by repeated reflections
from walls, ceilings, and other surfaces in an enclosed space.
It occurs when a sound continues to be heard even after the source stops
producing it.
In large spaces such as auditoriums or halls, excessive reverberation is
undesirable as it distorts sound clarity, making speech or music difficult to
understand.
To reduce reverberation:
Walls and Roofs: Covered with sound-absorbing materials like compressed
fibre board, rough plaster, or draperies.
Seats: Designed with sound-absorbing materials to minimize reflection.
These measures help improve sound quality and ensure clear acoustics in
large spaces.
 USES OF MULTIPLE REFLECTION OF SOUND

1. Megaphones, Horns, and Musical Instruments:

Devices like megaphones, horns, and instruments such as
trumpets and shehnais are designed to focus sound in a
specific direction.
These devices use a tube with a conical opening to reflect
sound waves successively, guiding most of the sound
energy forward without spreading it in all directions.

2. Stethoscope:
A stethoscope is a medical instrument used to listen to
sounds produced within the body, such as heartbeats or
lung sounds.
 USES OF MULTIPLE REFLECTION OF SOUND

In a stethoscope, sound waves are transmitted to

the doctor’s ears through multiple reflections of
sound within the tubes.

3. Acoustic Design of Halls:

The ceilings of concert halls, conference halls, and
cinema halls are often curved to ensure that sound,
after reflection, reaches all parts of the space
uniformly.
Sometimes, a soundboard is placed behind the stage
to reflect sound evenly across the width of the hall,
enhancing sound distribution for the audience.
 Applications of Ultrasound
1. Cleaning:
Cleans hard-to-reach areas like spiral tubes, odd-
shaped parts, and electronic components.
Ultrasonic waves detach dust, grease, and dirt in
a cleaning solution.

2. Flaw Detection:
Detects cracks and defects in metal blocks used
in structures like buildings, bridges, and
machinery.
Ultrasound reflects back from defects, indicating
their presence.
 3. Medical Applications:
Echocardiography:
Ultrasound reflects from heart parts to create images of
the heart.

Ultrasonography:
Generates images of internal organs (e.g., liver, kidney,
gall bladder, uterus).
Used to detect stones, tumors, and abnormalities in
organs.
Helps in examining fetal development during pregnancy.

Kidney Stones:
Breaks kidney stones into fine grains, which are expelled
through urine.
 Advantages Over Ordinary Sound:

Longer-wavelength sounds bend around defects and are unsuitable for

precise detection.

Ultrasound provides clear, reliable results for industrial and medical uses.
Q. State the difference between Infrasound and Ultrasound.

A. Difference between Infrasound and Ultrasound are as follows:

INFRASOUND ULTRASOUND
These include sounds of frequencies These include sounds of frequencies
below 20Hz. above 20,000 Hz.

These sounds are produced by objects These sounds are produced by objects
vibrating very slowly. vibrating very rapidly.
 SONAR System
The word ‘SONAR’ stands for ‘Sound Navigation
And Ranging’.

SONAR is a technique that uses ultrasonic waves to

measure the distance, direction, and speed of
underwater objects.

How SONAR Works (Components):

Transmitter: Produces and sends ultrasonic waves.

Detector: Receives reflected waves and converts

them into electrical signals. SONAR
System
 SONAR System
Process:
Ultrasonic waves are transmitted through water.
The waves reflect back upon striking an object, such as the seabed or a submerged
obstacle.
The detector captures these reflected waves, and their travel time is analyzed to
determine the object’s distance.

Formula: Where:
d: Depth or distance of the object.
The total distance 2d traveled by the ultrasonic wave is:
v: Speed of sound in water.
t: Time interval between transmission
2d = v × t and reception.

Rearrange to calculate d:
 SONAR System
Applications of SONAR:

Measuring Sea Depth: Determines the depth of oceans and seas (echo-ranging method).
Underwater Exploration: Locates underwater features like hills, valleys, submarines,
icebergs, and sunken ships.

Use of Ultrasound by Animals:

Bats:
Emit high-pitched ultrasonic squeaks to locate prey and navigate obstacles in the dark.
Reflected waves provide information about the object’s location and nature.

Porpoises:
Use ultrasound for navigation and finding food in dark environments.
 Structure of Human Ear
Hearing is the process by which the ear
converts pressure variations in air,
caused by sound waves, into electrical
signals that are transmitted to the brain
via the auditory nerve for
interpretation.

The ear consists of three parts : outer

ear, middle ear and inner ear.

The ears are the sense organs which

help us in hearing sound.
 Structure of Human Ear
Part of the Ear Definition and Function

Outer Ear (Pinna) Collects sound from the surroundings and channels it into the auditory canal.

Auditory Canal A tube-like structure that directs sound waves toward the eardrum.

A thin membrane that vibrates in response to pressure variations caused by sound

Eardrum (Tympanic Membrane)
waves (compression and rarefaction).

Contains three small bones (hammer, anvil, stirrup) that amplify the vibrations from
Middle Ear (Bones)
the eardrum.

Inner Ear (Cochlea) Converts pressure variations into electrical signals using sensory cells.

Auditory Nerve Transmits the electrical signals from the cochlea to the brain for interpretation.
 Working of Human Ear
When compression of sound wave strike the ear drum, the pressure on
the outside of ear drum increases and pushes the ear drum inwards.

While during refraction ear drum moves outwards. Thus, ear drum
starts vibrating back and forth.

These vibrations are increased by three bones and middle ear transmits
these amplified pressure variations received from sound waves to inner
ear.

In the inner ear the pressure variations are turned into electric signals
by the cochlea.