Acoustics

acoustics n. 1. (used with a sing. verb)

The scientific study of sound, especially of its generation, transmission, and reception.

The Physics of Sound

! Soundwaves in air (compression/rarefaction)
! Frequency and Amplitude
! Speed of sound
! Wavelength
! Reverberation and Echo

What is Sound?

Plop!
Sound is an energy that
travels periodically through a
medium. When a sound is
made the ripples it makes in
air are similar to the waves
created when water is
disturbed, and so we use the
term sound wave. However

Sound energy is

OMNIDIRECTIONAL.

Sound moves away from a sound source (in this case, a piano) with
equal energy in every direction.

A sound wave is a visual

representation of what
is really an outwardly
pulsating sound bubble.

Sound waves propagate through air. Air is a mixture of gases: oxygen and
nitrogen, which consists of atoms; and carbon dioxide, which is made up of
molecules. When there is a disturbance of these particles (from a sound
source) a chain reaction is caused, whereby the atoms and molecules collide
through vibrations and oscillations.

The COMPRESSION and RAREFACTION of air molecules.

When Pitching Forks vibrate they

create regular periods of high and
low pressure. These are known as the
compressions and rarefactions of the air
molecules, and will produce a
frequency.

Frequency

One compression with one rarefaction is called a

cycle. The number of these cycles (completed
compressions and rarefactions) that occur within
one second is called frequency. Frequencies are
measured in Hertz.

Our frequency spectrum (the perfect human hearing range from the
lowest pitch to the highest) is 20 Hertz (Hz) to 20,000 Hertz (20KHz).
This range diminishes over time.

Musical notes are set to

specific frequencies. Concert
pitch A being 440 Hz. An A
note played an octave higher
is 880 Hz.

Speed of Sound

Each frequency has its own WAVELENGTH. High frequencies are more easily
absorbed than low frequencies.

V(344m/s)

= wavelength
f = frequency
v = velocity (speed of
sound)

What is the wavelength of 344Hz?

344 Hertz

0 metres

distance

344 metres

0 seconds

time

1 second

What is the wavelength of 688 Hz?

688 Hertz

0 metres

distance

344 metres

0 seconds

time

1 second

The Ear