Sound
IX CBSE
Vibrations, Waves, Oscillations etc.
Vibration : Anything that moves back and forth, to and fro,
from side to side, in and out, or up and down.
• A vibration is a wiggle in time.
• A wiggle in space and time is a wave.
• A wave extends from one location to another.
Light and sound are both vibrations that propagate throughout
space as waves, but as waves of two very different kinds.
The Wave
The disturbance that travels through a
medium or vacuum from one place to
other by transferring the energy is
called a wave.
When the wave is travelling through a
medium it will experience some local
oscillations, but the particles in the
medium do not travel with the wave.
Types of Waves and Sound waves
Longitudinal waves - Movement of the particles are parallel to the motion of the
energy. Sound waves moving through the air is an example of this type of wave.
Transverse waves - Movement of the particles are at right angles (perpendicular)
to the motion of the energy. Movement of a wave through a solid object like a
stretched rope or a trampoline is an example of this type of wave.
Surface waves - particles travel in a circular motion. These waves occur at interfaces. Examples include
waves in the ocean and ripples in a cup of water. One consequence of occurring at an interface is that the
motion of the particles diminish with distance from the interface. The further from the interface the smaller
the rotation of the particles until as some distance from the surface, there is no more movement or energy
propagation.
Types of Waves and Sound waves
Sound Waves are like this
Light Waves are like this
Identify this one
What is a medium for the propagation of waves?
A medium is a substance or material that carries the wave.
The wave medium is not the wave and it doesn't make the wave;
it merely carries or transports the wave from its source to other
locations.
In the case of our slinky wave, the medium through that the wave travels is the slinky coils.
In the case of a water wave in the ocean, the medium through which the wave travels is the
ocean water.
Properties of a wave
Frequency :
The number of wave cycles that passes
through a given point in one second is Time Period :
called frequency. A Time period is the time needed for one
complete cycle of vibration to pass in a
Wavelength : given point.
The distance between two identical
points in a wave is called wavelength. Speed :
The distance travel by a periodic motion
Amplitude :
The maximum displacement of the
per unit time is called speed of wave.
vibrating particle of the given medium
from the mean position is defined as the
Amplitude of the wave.
Sound Waves need a medium to propagate
The features of sound wave
Compression: Area of high density and pressure.
Rarefaction: Area of low density and pressure.
Understanding the characteristics of sound waves
Amplitude:The maximum displacement of the particles of the medium from mean position.
Mean position has the undisturbed (normal) pressure and density.
Wavelength (λ): The distance from one centre of the compression (rarefaction) to the next
centre of compression (rarefaction). Compression is analogous to the Crest and Rarefaction is
analogous to Trough. Unit of Wavelength is the unit of length.
Frequency: The number of times the density of the medium changes from maximum to
minimum or vice versa. Unit of Frequency is Hertz. Human beings can hear between 20 –
20000 Hertz.
Time Period: Time taken by two consecutive compressions (rarefactions) to cross one point in
the medium. Unit of Time Period is seconds.
Difference in Characteristics of Sound
Large Amplitude Loud Sound
Small Amplitude Soft Sound
High Frequency Shriller Sound (Treble)
Low Frequency Blunt Sound (Bass)
Relationship between Velocity and Frequency of a
Sound Wave
In Time Period T the wave travels the distance equal to the wavelength λ.
v (speed of the wave) = =
= ν (f) (Frequency)
∴v= ν
A quick (very simple) numerical
Q. Calculate the Wavelength of a sound whose frequency is 220 Hz and speed is 440
m/s.
Ans. Frequency of Sound Wave = 220 Hz. 1 Hz = = 1 sec-1
Speed of the Sound Wave = 440 m/s. For a Sound Wave we know that
v= ν
= = =2m
Few more simple problems
1. A body is vibrating 6000 times is 1 minute. If the velocity of sound in
air is 360 m/s, find (i) Frequency in Hz (ii) Wavelength of sound.
2. A sound wave of frequency 5000 Hz travel in air with speed of
350m/sec. Calculate the wave length.
3. A tuning fork makes 284 vibrations per second in air. Compute the
wavelength of the tone emitted.
Given speed of sound = 330 m/s.
Graphical Analysis of Sound Wave
Factors Affecting the Speed of Sound
Medium
When most people discuss the speed of sound they are talking about the propagation
of sound waves through the medium of Air. For anyone who has gone underwater and
listen to people talking above it is likely that one would notice the muted an odd way
that voices sound underwater. This is because the medium of water greatly bends,
distorts and changes the speed of sound wave.
Because of elasticity of materials sound will, as a rule of thumb, generally travel faster in
solids than in liquids and faster in liquids than in gases.
Factors Affecting the Speed of Sound
Temperature
Temperature has a large effect on the speed of sound. Temperature affects the speed
of sound because temperature can affect the particles of the medium differently for
different media. At the very basics lower temperatures will decrease the speed of
sound while higher temperatures will increase the speed of sound, all other factors
being equal.
Pressure
Pressure is the final factor that has a significant impact on the speed of sound. The
more pressure that is applied to the material or medium the denser it becomes. This
makes any interactions between particles slower. Therefore the speed of sound
throughout the medium is slowed due to the greater pressure.
Reflection of Sound
How do we describe the reflection of sound?
When sound travels in a given medium, it strikes the surface of another medium
and bounces back in some other or opposite direction, this phenomenon is called the
reflection of sound. The waves are called the incident and reflected sound waves.
What are incident and reflected sound waves?
The sound waves that travel towards the reflecting surface are called the incident sound
waves. The sound waves bouncing back from the reflecting surface are called reflected
sound waves. For all practical purposes, the point of incidence and the point of reflection
are the same point on the reflecting surface.
A perpendicular drawn on the point of incidence is called the normal. The angle which the
incident sound waves makes with the normal is called the angle of incidence, i. The angle
which the reflected sound waves makes with the normal is called the angle of reflection, r.
Laws of Reflection for Sound Waves
First Law of Reflection:
The incident wave, the
reflected wave, and the
normal at the point of
incidence lie on the same
plane.
Second Law of Reflection:
The angle of incidence is
equal to the angle of
reflection.
Echo: A manifestation of reflection of sound
ECHO is the Phenomenon in which the
sound wave is reflected and hence arrives to
the listener after some time delay after the
direct sound.
There is a minimum distance required for
the formation of an Echo.
Minimum distance required for an echo
The sensation of sound persists in our brain for about 0.1 s, to hear a distinct echo the
time interval between the original sound and the reflected one must be at least 0.1s.
If we take the speed of sound to be 344 m/s at a given temperature, say at 22 ºC in air,
sound must go to the obstacle and reach back the ear of the listener on reflection after
0.1s.
Hence, the total distance covered by the sound from the point of generation to the
reflecting surface and back should be at least (344 m/s) ×0.1 s = 34.4 m.
Thus, for hearing distinct echoes, the minimum distance of the obstacle from the
source of sound must be half of this distance.
34.4/2 = 17.2 m [given speed of sound 344m/s
Measuring speed of sound with echo
One problem to practice
Q. A person standing between two vertical cliffs and 640 m away from the nearest cliff
shouted. He heard the 1st echo after 4 seconds and the second echo 3 seconds later.
Calculate (i) the velocity of sound in air and (ii) the distance between the cliffs.
Speed of Sound is given by: V = = = 320 ms-1
Distance of the farthest cliff: d2 = = = 1120 m
Distance between the cliffs = (1120 + 640) m =
1760 m d1= 640 m
d2= ? m
t2= t1 + 3 secs t1= 4 secs
Reverberation of Sound
Sometimes, when sound reflects from the walls, ceiling, and floor of a room, the reflecting
surfaces are too reflective and the sound becomes garbled. This is due to multiple
reflections called reverberations.
Uses of Multiple Reflection of Sound
1. Megaphone or loudspeakers, horns, musical instruments such as trumpets and
shehanais, are all designed to send sound in a particular direction. In these instruments, a tube
followed by a conical opening reflects sound successively to guide most of the sound waves
from the source in the forward direction towards the audience.
2. Stethoscope is a medical instrument used for listening to sound produced within the body,
chiefly the heart or lungs. In stethoscope, the sound of the patient's heartbeat reaches the
doctors ear by multiple reflection of sound.
3. Generally the ceiling of concert halls are curved so that sound after reflection reaches all
corners of the hall. Sometimes a curved soundboard maybe placed behind the stage so that the
sound, after reflecting from the sound board, spreads evenly across the width of the hall.
Uses of Multiple Reflection of Sound
A small recap to the range of hearing
Human Hearing Range =
Audible Range for
Human Beings = 20 Hz –
20000 Hz
Infrasonic < Audible Range < Ultrasonic
<20 Hz >20000 Hz
Applications of Ultrasonic Waves
Cleaning:
In objects with parts that are difficult to reach, for example spiral tubes and electronic
components, the process of ultrasonic cleaning is used. Here, the object is dipped in a
solution of suitable cleaning material and ultrasonic waves are passed into it. As a result of
this, high frequency waves are generated that cause the dirt and grease to detach from the
surface.
Applications of Ultrasonic Waves
Detection of cracks:
Ultrasound is used to detect cracks in the metallic components that are
used in the construction of high rise structures such as buildings and
bridges. They generate and display an ultrasonic waveform that is
interpreted by a trained operator, often with the aid of analysis
software, to locate and categorize flaws in test pieces. High frequency
sound waves reflect from flaws in predictable ways, producing
distinctive echo patterns that can be displayed and recorded by
portable instruments. A trained operator identifies specific echo
patterns corresponding to the echo response from good parts and from
representative flaws. The echo pattern from a test piece may then be
compared to the patterns from these calibration standards to determine
its condition.
Applications of Ultrasonic Waves
Echocardiography:
In the process of electrocardiography, the ultrasonic waves are used to form an image of
the heart using reflection and detection of these waves from various parts.
Ultrasonography:
Medical ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging technique based on ultrasound. It is used for
the imaging of internal body structures such as muscles, joints and internal organs.
Ultrasonic images are known as sonograms. In this process, pulses of ultrasound are sent to
the tissue using a probe. The sound echoes off the tissue, where different tissues reflect
sound varying in degrees. These echoes are recorded and displayed an image.
SONAR: SOund Navigation And Ranging
It is an acoustic device used to measure the depth,
direction, and speed of under-water objects such as
submarines and ship wrecks with the help of
ultrasounds. It is also used to measure the depth of
seas and oceans.
• A beam of ultrasonic sound is produced and
transmitted by the transducer (it is a device that
produces ultrasonic sound) of the SONAR, which
travels through sea water.
• The echo produced by the reflection of this
ultrasonic sound is detected and recorded by the
detector, which is converted into electrical
SONAR: SOund Navigation And Ranging
The distance (d) of the under-water object is calculated from the time (t) taken by the echo to
return with speed (v) is given by
vxt
This method of measuring distance is also known as ‘echo-ranging’.
A sample problem on SONAR
Q. A ship sends sonar and receives an echo after 2 seconds. If the speed of sound waves in
water is 1500 m/s, then find the depth of the sea.
Solution: Let depth of sea = d
Distance traveled = 2d
Speed of sound =
1500 m/s =
∴2d = 3000 m
∴ d = 1500 m
Human Ear (Learn by Yourself)
Bats and Ultrasonic Sound Waves
Echolocation--the active use of sonar (SOund Navigation And Ranging) along with
special morphological (physical features) and physiological adaptations--allows bats to
"see" with sound.
