Analysing Sound Waves

By Ms Nurul Ain Mat Aron

describe sound waves
explain how the loudness relates to amplitude
explain how the pitch relates to frequency
describe applications of reflection of sound waves
calculate distances using the reflection of sound waves
Objectives
Introduction to Sound Waves
Some sources of sound waves
How is it generated?
Sound is a wave that is created by vibrating objects and propagated
through a medium from one location to another.
Introduction to Sound Waves
Each sound waves consists of a mechanical vibrations.
A mechanical wave is a wave that is not capable of
transmitting its energy through a vacuum
Production of Sound Waves
Introduction to Sound Waves
Slinky Waves versus Sound Waves
As the second coil becomes displaced, it begins to push or pull on the third coil; the
push or pull on the third coil displaces it from its equilibrium position.
As the third coil becomes displaced, it begins to push or pull on the fourth coil.
A disturbance is typically created within the slinky by the back and forth movement of the
first coil of the slinky.
The first coil becomes disturbed and begins to push or pull on the second coil. This push or
pull on the second coil will displace the second coil from its equilibrium position.
This process continues in consecutive fashion, with each individual particle acting
to displace the adjacent particle. Subsequently the disturbance travels through the
slinky. As the disturbance moves from coil to coil, the energy that was originally
introduced into the first coil is transported along the medium from one location to
another
Introduction to Sound Waves
Slinky Waves versus Sound Waves
First, there is a medium that carries the disturbance from one location to
another
Second, there is an original source of the wave, some vibrating object
capable of disturbing the first particle of the medium.
Third, the sound wave is transported from one location to another by
means of particle-to-particle interaction.
Waves motion
Sound Waves
When the tuning fork vibrates , they begin to disturb surrounding air
molecules.
These disturbances are passed on to adjacent air molecules by the
mechanism of particle interaction.
How does it work?
Two tines capable of vibrating if struck by
a rubber hammer or mallet.
Sound Waves
When the tuning fork vibrates, layers of air are push close together
than pulled apart causing compression and rarefaction
How does it work?
High pressure
Low pressure
Sound Waves
Sound is produced by vibrations the membrane of a loud speaker.
How does it work?
A series of compressions and rarefaction are transmitted through air
particles in a direction parallel to the direction of propagation of sound.
Sound Waves
Sound waves are propagates as longitudinal waves.
As one individual particle is disturbed, it transmits the disturbance to the
next interconnected particle.
This disturbance continues to be passed on to the next particle. The
result is that energy is transported from one end of the medium to the
other end of the medium without the actual transport of matter
A longitudinal wave - the particles of the medium vibrate in a direction
parallel to the direction of energy transport.
Sound Waves
How does it work?
Sound Waves
How does it work?
Sound Waves
Sound can be generated at a wide range of frequency
Can be heard by
normal human
ear
Audio wave Ultrasound Infrasound
Sound Waves
Production of Sound
Loudness Pitch
amplitude frequency
affected by affected by
Sound Waves
Loudness
amplitude
affected by
Low amplitude, less loud
High amplitude, louder sound
a
a
Loudness
Sound Waves
Pitch
frequency
affected by Low frequency, low pitch
High frequency, high pitch
T
Pitch
T
Interference of Sound Waves
Interference is the effect of superposition of two waves from two
coherent sources
The principle of superposition states that when two waves overlap,
the resultant displacement is equal to the sum of the displacements of
the individual wave.
Interference of Sound Waves
Two loudspeakers are two coherent sources. Sound waves from coherent
sources A and B interfere and produce an interference pattern.
Interference of Sound Waves
Answer a) 0.33 m b) 330m/s
Example 1
Two loudspeakers placed 2 m apart are connected to an audio signal
generator that adjusted to produce sound waves of frequency 550 Hz.
The f

a) The wavelength of the sound
b) The speed of the sound waves in air
Interference of Sound Waves
Answer a) 0.33 m b) 33m/s
Example 2
Two loudspeakers connected to the same signal generator are
producing sounds of frequency 100 Hz. The separation between the
two loudspeakers is 2.0 m. An observer who stands 5m in front heard
three consecutive loud sounds when he moves through a distance of
1.65 m in the direction parallel to the speakers. Determine

a) The wavelength of the sound
b) The speed of the sound waves in air
Application of Sound Waves
Ultrasonic scanning is used for
detecting the position and condition
of a foetus
Ultrasonic Scanning
It involves the sending of ultrasound
from a transmitter into the body of
the patient, and detecting the
echoes which reflect from various
parts of the foetus
Application of Sound Waves
Ultrasonic ruler is used to measure the depth of the sea
A pulse of ultrasonic
sound is transmitted
towards the seabed
The seabed as a
reflector, will reflect the
pulse to the ruler via the
receiver.
v : the speed of sound
t : the time taken by the pulse to travel
to the seabed and return to the ruler
s : the distance travelled by the pulse
s = v x t
Ultrasonic ruler (Sonar)
Application of Sound Waves
Answer = 1 500 m/s
Ultrasonic ruler
Example 1
A ship uses a sonar to detect a seabed. It is found that the time
interval between sending out and receiving back the ultrasound signal
after reflection from the seabed is 0.04s. The depth of the seabed is
30m. What is the velocity of sound in water?
Application of Sound Waves
Answer = a) 2.5 x 10
-3
m
b) 1500 m
Ultrasonic ruler
Example 2
Sound waves with a frequency of 6.0 x 10
5
Hz are used to determine
the depth of the sea. The speed of sound in the sea water is 1500
m/s.
a) What is the wavelength of the sound in the sea water?
b) If the time interval between the instant the sound waves are sent
to the instant an echo is received is 2.0s, what is the depth of the
sea?