Sound Flashcards
(14 cards)
What type of wave is a sound wave? (What does it transfer)
Sound is a type of mechanical wave, and transfers energy. This means that a sound wave may only propagate through a medium.
What type of wave is a sound wave? Longitudinal or Tranverse?
Sound waves are longitudinal, meaning that energy is a sound wave travels in a direction parallel to the direction of vibration of the particles in the medium.
Category: Pressure VS Distance Graphs
Analyse pressure vs distance graphs according to air pressure.
At compressions, the air pressure is greater than the normal air pressure where the air is undisturbed.
At rarefactions, the air pressure is lesser than the normal air pressure where the air is undisturbed.
Category: Pressure VS Distance Graphs
How does one find values and which in such graphs?
Compressions and rarefactions are represented by the crests and troughs of the graph respectively.
The wavelength is represented by the distance between two troughs or the distance between two crests on the graph.
Category: Pressure VS Distance Graphs
How to derive the amplitude of the graph?
By looking at the maximum displacement of a particle/looking at the particle that was displaced most from its original position.
Category: Pressure VS Distance Graphs
How does one find the centres of compression and rarefaction?
The centres of compression and rarefaction are the particles which have undergone zero displacement.
Category: Pressure VS Distance Graphs
How to draw a Pressure-Distance Graph from a Displacement-Distance Graph?
When the displacement on the displacement-distance graph is zero, these are regions of compression and rarefaction on the pressure-distance graph.
If displacement decreases to zero, the point is the centre of compression.
If the displacement increases steadily after zero, then it is a point of rarefaction.
Category: Representing Sound with Equation
What are the formulas to calculate wave speed?
v = wavelength/Period
v = frequency x wavelength
If the frequency of note A is greater than that of note B, then the wavelength of note B would be greater than that of note A.
Category: Conditions affecting wave speed
which mediums do sound waves travel fastest in?
Sound waves generally travel fastest in solids, followed by liquids, followed by gases.
The electrostatic forces of attraction between particles in solids are strongest, thus particles in a solid tend to return to their original positions in the shortest amount of time when disturbed. Thus, this increases the rate of transfer of energy as energy is transferred more quickly through the solid, resulting in sound waves travelling the fastest in solids.
Category: Factors affecting the speed of sound
What are the factors affecting the speed of sound?
- Sound travels faster when the gas is at a higher temperature.
- Sound also travels faster when humidity levels are higher. Thus water vapour increases this speed.
Category: Factors affecting the speed of sound
Using the Kinetic Model, explain why sound travels faster in warm air than cold air.
Faster vibrating air molecules are able to return to their original equilibrium positions faster, resulting in these particles being able to transmit pulses of energy at a greater rate.
Category: Loudness, pitch and quality
What is the relationship between frequency and pitch?
What is the relationship between amplitude and loudness?
The greater the frequency, the higher the pitch.
The lower the frequency, the lower the pitch.
the greater the amplitude, the greater the loudness.
Category: Echoes and Reverberation
Define echoes and reverberation.
Reverberation typically exists in a smaller room such that the reflected sound reaches the ear within 0.1 seconds of the initial sound, such that the sound seems prolonged.
Echoes occur when the reflected sound waves reach the ear more than 0.1 seconds after the initial sound, where the arrival of the reflected sound is perceived to be the second sound wave.
Category: Refraction of Sound
How does sound refract in air of varying temperatures?
Sound refracts from warmer air to cooler air.
