Sound Waves

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SOUND WAVES
Sound waves are produced by vibrating sources. They are longitudinal waves in nature and as
such need a medium to be transmitted from one place to another.
Bell-jar experiment
The bell-jar experiment can be used to show if this is possible. An electric bell is suspended
with rubber bands inside a bell jar. The rubber bands reduce sound transmission by the wires so
that sound is only transmitted through the glass. When the circuit is complete the bell rings. A
vacuum pump is then used to remove the air from the bell jar.
The sound heard decreases as the air is pumped from the bell-jar even though the hammer is still
seen striking the gong. Eventually no sound is heard even though the hammer is still striking the
gong. This happens when all the air has been removed from the bell jar which shows that sound
needs a medium for its propagation.
Relative order of the speed of sound in gases, liquids, and solids

Sound travels fastest in solids, followed by liquids then gases. This is because the particles of
matter are far apart in gases but closely packed in solids.
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Material Speed (m/s)

steel 6000
Water 1400
Air 330
Concrete 5000
Reflection of Sound
Reflected sound is called an echo. Multiple reflection of sound may produce an effect called
reverberation. It occurs when too many echoes mix up to produce a dull unclear sound.
Audible Frequency
Audible frequency refers to the range of frequencies which can be heard by an organism. Each
animal species has its own audible frequency. Examples are shown below.
Animal Audible Frequency

Human Beings 20 Hz – 20 kHz
Dogs 20 Hz – 50 kHz
Bats 20 Hz – 120 kHz
Ultrasonic Sound (Ultrasound or sonar)

This refers to sound that has a frequency which is above the audible frequency for human beings.
That means any sound above 20 kHz is ultrasound. Ultrasound waves can be concentrated to
form a narrow beam which has many uses that include:
1. To study the development of a foetus inside its mother or determining the sex of an
unborn baby without operation.
2. To clean jewellery and equipment. The equipment/jewellery is placed in a bath of a
special liquid. The ultrasound will shake the dirt off the equipment/jewellery.
3. By dentists to clean tartar coating from the teeth.
4. Metal testing – Used to detect flaws in metals
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5. Echo Sounding - By ships to measure the depth of water. E.g in seas and oceans.
To measure the sea depth, ultrasound beams are sent from the ship to the sea bottom or floor.
The time taken for the wave to move from the ship to the sea bottom and back to the ship is then
measured. This time is then used along with the speed of sound in water to calculate the sea
depth. This method is known as echo sounding and can also be used to calculate the distance
between large buildings/structures. An Echo is a reflected sound a shorter time after the original
sound. The following expression is used in calculations involving an Echo.
2d
s= .
t
Where s = speed of sound waves
d = depth of ocean
t = time taken by wave to travel distance 2d.
2d = distance travelled by wave
6. Used for navigation by submarines to locate other submarines.
Noise Pollution
Noise refers to unwanted/unpleasant sound. An area that has a high degree of noise is said to be
polluted by noise. These situations can be in a densely populated town or part of the town,
airports, studios, road traffic etc.
Effects of Noise Pollution

1. Noise can damage ears
2. Can cause tiredness
3. Can make someone lose concentration.
Ways of reducing noise pollution

1. By building quieter engines
2. Building areas of high degree noise such as airports far away from the residential area.
3. Cars exhaust systems can be fitted with silencers.
4. At home sound absorbing materials such as curtains, carpets, windows can be used.
5. People who are exposed to high level of noise can wear ear protectors.
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Characteristics of Sound
The notes from a musical instrument can vary in three ways:
1. Pitch
2. Loudness
3. Quality
Frequency and Pitch

Pitch of a sound note depends on its frequency. The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch and the
lower the frequency, the lower the pitch. A high-pitched note has a high frequency but a short
wavelength.
Loudness and Amplitude
Loudness of a sound depends on the amplitude of the wave. The larger the amplitude the louder
the sound note.
Quality of a sound note
The same note on different instrument sounds different even if the frequency is the same. That
means they differ in quality (Timbre). This difference is brought by the fact that no instrument
other than a tuning fork or a signal generator can produce a note of one frequency (a pure note).
Notes of the same frequency (pitch) but different quality.

Acoustics
When a band is playing in a hall, the sound the audience hears depends partly on how the hall
itself affects the sound waves. That is the acoustics of the hall. A large empty hall, with hard
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walls, floors, and ceiling usually sounds ‘echoey’. Sound waves are reflected from the surfaces
and mixes with the original sound making the sound to be unheard and dull. This may take
several seconds before the sound can die away. This effect is called reverberation.
In a hall, some materials such as carpets, curtains and even the audience reduce reverberation by
absorbing the sound. Some halls have specially designed sound absorbers suspended in ceilings.

Sound Waves

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1

Relative order of the speed of sound in gases, liquids, and solids

Material Speed (m/s)

Animal Audible Frequency

Ultrasonic Sound (Ultrasound or sonar)

Effects of Noise Pollution

Ways of reducing noise pollution

Frequency and Pitch

Notes of the same frequency (pitch) but different quality.

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