Unit 1. Module 5: Sounds
Longitudinal wave - waves that are usually
Sound - a form of energy produced & transmitted by vibrating matter.
vibration – back and forth movement of molecules of matter
 Travels in waves
 Travels more quickly through solids than liquids or gases
 Sound cannot travel through a vacuum.
 ALL sound is carried through matter as sound waves
Sound energy - the energy produced by sound vibrations as they travel through a
specific medium.
Wave - a repeating disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space
 When a wave moves through matter, the particles of matter do NOT move
along with the wave.
 Only the energy that produces the wave moves with the wave.
Medium – the matter through which wave travels. All phases of matter can act as a
medium Ex. of Mediums: water - ocean waves & air - sound waves
Sound wave - a wave, which is created by vibrating objects and propagated
through a medium from one location to another.
 Alternating areas of high-pressure and low-pressure regions of air.
 Sound waves move out in ALL directions from a vibrating object
 When sound waves hit a hard surface, they bounce back.
 When sound waves hit a soft surface, they are absorbed.
 The faster the sound waves, the higher the pitch.
 The slower the sound waves, the lower the pitch.
Sound Propagation
 Sound consists of waves of air particles.
 Generally, sound propagates and travels through air.
 It can also be propagated through other media.
 Since it needs a medium to propagate, it is considered a mechanical wave.
 In propagating sound, the waves are characterized as longitudinal waves.
Types of Waves
Waves are classified according to the motion of the medium as compared to the movement of
the wave.
1. Transverse wave - a wave in the which the
motion of the medium is at right angles
to the direction of the wave.
The movement of particles is perpendicular to the
direction of wave travel.
a. trough - the lowest part of a transverse wave
b. crest - the highest part of a transverse wave
Transverse Wave
2.
created by pulling & pushing the material or medium.
The motion of the medium is parallel to the direction of
the wave. Also called as pressure wave because waves
are created by pressure
a. Compression – a space in the medium in
which the molecules are crowded together. Longitudinal Wave
b. Rarefaction - a space in the medium in which there are fewer molecules
Characteristics of Waves
1. Amplitude - the maximum distance the molecules of a medium are displace from their rest
potential. Indicates the energy of the wave. As energy increases, amplitude increases
2. Wavelength - the distance between 2 consecutive crests or troughs. Measured in m or cm.
3. Frequency - the number of complete waves/cycles per unit of time. Measured in Hertz (Hz)
Speed of Sound
 It is determined by taking the product of the frequency and the wavelength.
v=fx
where v (velocity) - speed at which the wave is traveling
 the speed of the wave can be expressed as the ratio of the wavelength and the period
v =
T
Factors that Affect the Speed of a Sound
1. Density
 As density of medium increases, speed of a wave decreases.
2. Elasticity - refers to the ability of a medium to return quickly to its original shape after
being disturbed. More elastic, the faster the wave.
3. Temperature
 The hotter the medium the faster the sound travels. In equation:
where T is the temperature of air in Celsius degree and 0.6 is a constant factor of temperature.
Properties of Sound
1. Reflection - described as the turning back of a wave as it hits a barrier. Examples:
a. echo – reflected sound
b. reverberation - refers to the multiple reflections or echoes in a certain place.
Echo sounding - used by scientists to map the sea floor and to determine the depth of
the ocean or sea. This is just the same as how bats use sound to detect distances.
Ultrasound - works on the principle of reflection of sound waves
2. Refraction - described as the change in speed resulting to bending of sound when it
encounters a medium of different density. Ex. concerts in open field