SOUND
Sound:
It is the form of energy that produces the sensation of hearing in our ears.
It requires material medium for its propagation and hence cannot travel through
vacuum.
Requisites of the Medium:
1. Medium must be elastic so that the particles of the medium return to their original
position after the initial displacement.
2. Medium must have initial inertia so that particles of the medium have capacity to store
the mechanical energy.
3. Medium should be frictionless so that there is no loss of energy during the propagation
of sound through it.
Factors affecting the speed of sound in different media (𝑽 = 𝑬/𝑫)
1. Speed of the sound in a medium is directly proportional to the square root of the
elasticity of the medium.
2. Inversely proportional to the square root of the density of the medium.
NOTE: Speed of the sound is highest in solid because elasticity in solids is higher than that in
liquids and gases.
Factors affecting the speed of sound in the air (gas):
1. Density of the medium: Speed of the sound in the air is inversely proportional to the
square root of the density of the medium.
2. Humidity in the air: Speed of the sound in the air increases with increase in humidity in
the air as increase in humidity leads to decrease in the density of the air in the
atmosphere. Hence, sound travels faster in the moist air than the dry air.
Consequence: One can hear the sound of the train in the morning than the noon
because air in the morning is more humid.
3. Temperature:
As the temperature of the air increases, density of the air decreases and so speed of the
sound in the air increases.
When the temperature of the air increases by 1℃, speed of the sound in the air
increases by 0.6 m/s.
Speed of the sound in the air is directly proportional to the square root of the absolute
temperature of the air (gas).
4. Effect of Wind:
When sound travels in the direction of the wind, its effective velocity increases.
When sound travels in the opposite direction of the wind, its effective velocity
decreases.
Factors not affecting the speed of sound in the air (gas)
Pressure
Amplitude
Wavelength
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What happens to the speed of the sound in the following cases?
1. Density of the medium is doubled(𝑽 𝜶 𝟏/ 𝑫)
𝑉 = times
√
2. Density of medium is made 4 times(𝑽 𝜶 𝟏/ 𝑫)
𝑉 = = times
√
3. Density of medium is made 1/4 times(𝑽 𝜶 𝟏/ 𝑫)
𝑉 = = / = 2 times
4. Elasticity of the medium is doubled(𝑽 𝜶 𝑬)
𝑉 = √2times
5. Elasticity of the medium is halved (𝑽 𝜶 𝑬)
𝑉= = times
√
6. Temperature is made 4 times (𝑽 𝜶 𝑻)
𝑉 = √4 = 2times
7. Amplitude is made 9 times
NO CHANGE
8. Pressure is halved
NO CHANGE
9. Wavelength is doubled
NO CHANGE
LIGHT WAVES SOUND WAVES
Does not need material medium for its Needs material medium for its propagation.
propagation.
Travels faster than sound in the air or vacuum Travels slower than the light in the air (330 m/s
( 3 × 108 m/s). at 0℃).
Can travel through the vacuum. Cannot travel through the vacuum.
Define the following terms:
1. Amplitude: It is a maximum displacement of the particles of the medium on either side
from its mean position. SI Unit: metre (m).
2. Time period: It is the time taken by particles of the medium to complete one
vibration/wave. SI Unit: seconds(s).
3. Frequency: It is the number of vibrations made by particles of the medium in 1s.
SI Unit: s or Hertz. (T = ).
4. Wavelength: It is the distance covered by particles of the medium in one time period of
vibrations of the particles of the medium. SI Unit: metre (m).
5. Wave velocity: It is the distance covered by wave in 1 second. SI Unit: m/s.
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Comparison of sound and light waves
1. In thundering, the light is seen much earlier than the sound of the thunder heard
because,
-speed of the light in the air(3 × 108 m/s) is much faster than the speed of
sound in the air(330 m/s).
2. When the starter in an athletic event fires a gun, the sound is heard a little later
than the smoke is seen.
3. The spectators watching the cricket game hear the sound a little later than the batsman
actually drives a stroke.
4. If you place your ear close to an iron railing which is taped some distance away you hear
the sound twice because,
-First sound is heard due to its propagation through the iron track.
-Second sound is heard due to its propagation through the air.
Audible range for human beings - 20Hz to 20,000 Hz
Infrasonic Sound: It is the sound having frequency less than 20Hz.
Ultrasonic Sound: It is the sound having frequency more than 20,000Hz.
Characteristic properties of Ultrasound:
Ultrasound carries very high energy.
It can travel along a well - defined straight path.
It does not bend appreciably at the edge of the obstacle, i.e. they have high directivity.
Application of Ultrasound:
1. It is used to clean very small objects such as the path of the watch and electronic
components.
2. For drilling holes or making cuts of desired shape in glass.
3. ‘Ultrasonography’ is used to get images of internal organs of the body like liver, gall
bladder, etc.
4. In SONAR, Ultrasound is used to detect underwater obstacles or to determine the depth
of the water bodies.
5. It is also used in surgery to remove cataract and to break small stone into fine grains.
NOTE: Bats emit ultrasonic which when gets reflected from the obstacle, reflected sound
helps them to change their direction and avoid collision.
Supersonic Sound: It is the sound …
Longitudinal Traverse
Particles of the medium vibrate in their Particles of the medium vibrate about their
mean position in the direction of mean position in a direction perpendicular
propagation of light. to the direction of propagation of the wave.
It forms alternate compressions and It forms alternate trough and crests.
rarefactions.
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