Science - Sound Flashcards
What is sound?
Sound is a form of energy that allows us to hear.
How does sound travel?
Sound travels in waves, in all directions, from its source.
How is a sound started (what needs to happen for a sound to be made)?
All sounds are caused by a vibration.
How do sound waves travel through matter (solids, liquids, and gasses)?
The sound bumps the closest particles, and those particles bump the ones next to them, and the sound keeps traveling from particle to particle.
What happens to sound waves as they move farther and farther from their source?
Sound waves lose energy the farther they get from their source, until no more particles get bumped along anymore. This means the sound gets quieter and quieter as it moves farther from its source.
What is vibrating when the human voice makes a sound?
Your vocal chords vibrate, which allows you to speak.
What are the three main parts (or sections) of the ear?
The outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.
What are the tiny bones in our middle ear called as a group?
The ossicles.
What is each of the ossicles called?
The hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup.
What is the snail-shell shaped organ in your inner ear, and how does it transmit sound to the brain?
The cochlea is filled with liquid, and has little hairs on the inside. When the cochlea gets vibrated by the ossicles, the liquid makes waves, which moves the little hairs. The hairs send messages to the brain, and you hear!
What are some animals that use sound to “see” where they are going?
Bats use echolocation. Dolphins and whales use sonar to communicate underwater.
What are the three main types of musical instruments, and how do they make sound?
Percussion - any instrument you tap or shake to cause the vibration.
String - any instrument you play by making a string vibrate.
Wind - any instrument you blow into to cause the vibration.
What do we call it when a sound bounces off of an object and comes back to our ear?
An echo.
What are some jobs or professions where there might be sounds loud enough to damage our ears? How can we protect our hearing?
Farmers and construction workers use loud machinery. Pilots and cabin crews repeatedly go through the air-pressure changes that make your ears pop on a plane, and airport ground crews are around loud airplanes. Law enforcement, firefighters, and military personnel may be exposed to loud noises or explosions. People who work in factories may need to protect their hearing when working with machinery.
How can people protect their hearing if they are working in noisy conditions?
Wear noise-canceling headphones or earplugs. Reduce the amount of time spent in loud places.
