Topic: Sound Worksheet-2 1

6 (a) Describe an experiment to determine the speed of sound in air. State the apparatus you
need, details of how to take measurements and how to calculate the speed of sound in air.

You may use the space below to draw a labelled diagram as part of your answer.

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(b) Sound waves from a television are diffracted through doorways. Light waves from a television
are not diffracted through doorways.

Suggest why light waves and sound waves behave differently in this situation.

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[Total: 7]
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6 Fig. 6.1 shows particles of a material in which a sound wave is travelling.

Fig. 6.1 (not to scale)

(a) On Fig. 6.1, mark:

(i) the centre of a compression with the letter C [1]

(ii) the centre of a rarefaction with the letter R [1]

(iii) one wavelength with a double-ended arrow. [1]

(b) Circle one value from the list which is the speed of sound in water.

15 m / s 150 m / s 1500 m / s 15 000 m / s 150 000 m / s 1 500 000 m / s [1]

(c) The wavelength of a sound wave in water is 12 cm.

Calculate the frequency of this sound wave using your value from (b).

frequency = ........................................................ [3]

(d) State and explain whether the sound in (c) is ultrasound.

statement ..................................................................................................................................

explanation ...............................................................................................................................

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[2]

[Total: 9]

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6 (a) Sound waves consist of compressions and rarefactions.

Explain the terms compression and rarefaction. Give your explanation in terms of the spacing
of molecules and the pressure for sound waves in air.

compression .............................................................................................................................

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rarefaction .................................................................................................................................

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[3]

(b) A musical instrument emits a sound with a frequency of 4.4 kHz. The speed of sound in air is
340 m / s.

(i) Calculate the wavelength of the sound.

wavelength = .......................................................... [3]

(ii) The frequency of the sound emitted by the instrument is changed to 5.1 kHz and the
amplitude of the sound is increased.

Without calculation, state what happens to

1. the speed of the sound ..................................................................................................

2. the wavelength of the sound .........................................................................................

[2]

[Total: 8]

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5 (a) One difference between a longitudinal wave and a transverse wave is that a longitudinal
wave consists of compressions and rarefactions.

(i) Explain the terms compression and rarefaction using ideas about particles.

compression ......................................................................................................................

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rarefaction .........................................................................................................................

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[2]

(ii) Describe one other way in which longitudinal wave motion differs from transverse wave
motion.

Longitudinal wave motion ..................................................................................................

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Transverse wave motion ...................................................................................................

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[2]

(b) (i) A sound wave of frequency 0.120 kHz travels through a rock at a speed of 3500 m / s.

Calculate the wavelength of the wave.

wavelength = ........................................................ [3]

(ii) The wave travels from the rock into the air.

State and explain whether the wave will be audible to a healthy human ear.

statement ..........................................................................................................................

explanation ........................................................................................................................

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[2]

[Total: 9]
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4 Fig. 4.1 shows a loudspeaker that is producing a sound wave in air of frequency 15 000 Hz.

hollow
paper
cone

Fig. 4.1

(a) Describe how the cone of the loudspeaker produces this sound.

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............................................................................................................................................. [3]

(b) The speed of sound in air is 330 m / s.

Calculate the wavelength of this sound.

wavelength = ........................................................ [2]

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(c) The loudspeaker is placed a considerable distance to the left of a barrier with a gap. The
width of the gap is double the wavelength of the sound. Sound from the loudspeaker reaches
the barrier and passes through the gap.

Fig. 4.2 shows the gap in the barrier.

barrier

barrier

Fig. 4.2 (not to scale)

On Fig. 4.2, sketch a diagram that represents the sound wave as a series of wavefronts

• travelling towards the barrier

• in the gap

• and travelling away from the barrier.

[3]

[Total: 8]

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8 A vibrating source on a ship produces a sound wave that travels through the ocean. The wave
produced is a longitudinal wave.

(a) Explain what is meant by the term longitudinal wave.

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(b) The frequency of the sound wave is 800 Hz.

(i) The speed of sound in air is 330 m / s.

State a typical value for the speed of sound in a liquid.

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Using your value from (b)(i), calculate the wavelength of the sound wave in the ocean.

wavelength = ...........................................................[2]

[Total: 6]

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6 (a) The left-hand column of the table shows some possible speeds of a sound wave.

In the right-hand column, write down the medium in which a sound wave has this speed.

Choose from solid, liquid or gas.

speed of sound wave medium

m/s
1500
5000
300
[2]

(b) Fig. 6.1 represents a series of compressions and rarefactions of a sound wave.

Fig. 6.1

(i) On Fig. 6.1, mark, with the letters X and Y, the mid-points of two rarefactions. [1]

(ii) State, in terms of pressure, what is meant by a rarefaction.

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.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) Astronauts set up a mirror on the Moon’s surface. A laser beam is transmitted from the Earth’s
surface to the mirror and is then reflected back to Earth.

On a certain day, the time between transmitting the beam from a point on the Earth’s surface
and receiving the reflected signal at the same point is 2.56 s.

The speed of the laser beam is 3.00 × 108 m / s.

Calculate the distance between the Earth’s surface and the Moon’s surface.

distance = ...........................................................[3]

[Total: 7]

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6 (a) (i) The pitch of a sound wave increases.

Tick one box to indicate the change that occurs.

amplitude decreases

amplitude increases

frequency decreases

frequency increases
[1]

(ii) The loudness of a sound wave increases.

Tick one box to indicate the change that occurs.

amplitude decreases

amplitude increases

frequency decreases

frequency increases
[1]

(b) Fig. 6.1 shows an astronaut and a spacecraft on the surface of the Moon, where there is no
atmosphere.

Fig. 6.1

A piece of machinery within the spacecraft produces a loud sound of frequency 12 kHz.

Tick the one box that indicates the reason why the astronaut cannot hear this sound.

The material of the space suit is soundproof.

Sound cannot travel through a vacuum.

Sound of frequency 12 kHz cannot travel through the air in the spacesuit.

Sound of frequency 12 kHz cannot be heard by any human ear.

[1]

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(c) Some training for space travel is carried out under water.

(i) State an approximate value for the speed of sound in water.

...................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Calculate the wavelength in water of a sound wave of frequency 12 kHz.

wavelength = .......................................................... [2]

(d) Fig. 6.2 shows successive crests of a water wave approaching a narrow gap in a barrier.

direction of travel of wave

gap

barrier barrier

Fig. 6.2

On Fig. 6.2, draw three crests of the wave that have just passed through the gap in the barrier.
[3]

[Total: 9]

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6 (a) In the space below, draw a simple labelled diagram of the apparatus used to demonstrate
Brownian motion.

[2]

(b) State what is observed.

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(c) Explain what is observed in terms of molecules.

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...............................................................................................................................................[2]

[Total: 6]

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7 Sound from a loudspeaker is travelling in air towards a solid wall.

Fig. 7.1 shows compressions of the incident sound wave and the direction of travel of the wave.

P 8.5 m Q
wall

direction of
travel

compressions

Fig. 7.1

(a) State what is meant by a compression.

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...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) The distance from point P to point Q is 8.5 m. It takes 25 ms for the compression at P to
reach Q.

For this sound wave, determine

(i) the wavelength,

wavelength = ...........................................................[1]

(ii) the frequency.

frequency = ...........................................................[2]

(c) As it strikes the wall, the sound reflects.

Complete Fig. 7.1 to show the positions of three compressions of the reflected sound wave.
[2]

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(d) The loudspeaker is immersed in water, where it continues to produce sound of the same
frequency.

State and explain how the wavelength of the sound wave in water compares with the
wavelength determined in (b)(i).

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...............................................................................................................................................[2]

[Total: 8]

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