PHYSICS FOR

ENGINEERS (LAB)
(PHY 121L)

Engr. Marvi D. Gantala

 Republic of the Philippines
SOUTHERN LEYTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Main Campus, 6606 Sogod, Southern
Leyte Telefax. No: (053) 382-3003/382-
3294
www.slsuonline.edu.ph

Name: Adel C. Antegra Score:

Course, Yr. & Sec.: BSCE-2C Date Submitted:

ACTIVITY NO. 4
SOUND WAVES

I. Objective:
To determine the relationship of pitch and frequency of sound waves.
II. Conceptual Background:
A sound wave, like any other wave, is introduced into a medium by a vibrating
object. The vibrating object is the source of the disturbance that moves through the
medium. The vibrating object that creates the disturbance could be the vocal cords
of a person, the vibrating string and sound board of a guitar or violin, the vibrating
tines of a tuning fork, or the vibrating diaphragm of a radio speaker. Regardless of
what vibrating object is creating the sound wave, the particles of the medium through
which the sound moves is vibrating in a back and forth motion at a given
frequency. The frequency of a wave refers to how often the particles of the medium
vibrate when a wave passes through the medium. The frequency of a wave is
measured as the number of complete back-and-forth vibrations of a particle of the
medium per unit of time. If a particle of air undergoes 1000 longitudinal vibrations in
2 seconds, then the frequency of the wave would be 500 vibrations per second. A
commonly used unit for frequency is the Hertz (abbreviated Hz), where
1 Hertz = 1 vibration/second
As a sound wave moves through a medium, each particle of the medium
vibrates at the same frequency. This is sensible since each particle vibrates due to
the motion of its nearest neighbor. The first particle of the medium begins vibrating,
at say 500 Hz, and begins to set the second particle into vibrational motion at the
same frequency of 500 Hz. The second particle begins vibrating at 500 Hz and thus
sets the third particle of the medium into vibrational motion at 500 Hz. The process
continues throughout the medium; each particle vibrates at the same frequency. And
of course, the frequency at which each particle vibrates is the same as the frequency
of the original source of the sound wave.
A sound wave with a high frequency would correspond to a pressure time plot
with a small period - that is, a plot corresponding to a small amount of time between
successive high-pressure points. Conversely, a sound wave with a low frequency
would correspond to a pressure time plot with a large period - that is, a plot
corresponding to a large amount of time between successive high-pressure points.
The diagram below shows two pressure-time plots, one corresponding to a high
frequency and the other to a low frequency.
 The sensation of a frequency is commonly referred to as the pitch of a sound.
A high pitch sound corresponds to a high frequency sound wave and a low pitch
sound corresponds to a low frequency sound wave. Amazingly, many people,
especially those who have been musically trained, are capable of detecting a
difference in frequency between two separate sounds that is as little as 2 Hz. When
two sounds with a frequency difference of greater than 7 Hz are played
simultaneously, most people are capable of detecting the presence of a complex
wave pattern resulting from the interference and superposition of the two sound
waves.

III. Apparatus and

Materials: Ruler
Rubber Band (Thick)
Empty Box, Base Dimension: 763mm x 331mm (Preferably Zest-o, Big, &
Plus Juices)
2x Ballpen
Marker

IV. Procedure:
A. Sound from ruler
1. Place a ruler on top of a table with the first 7cm on the table and the rest is
extended off the edge of the table.
2. Held your hand on the 7cm part and ensure that the ruler is steady in place.
3. With the thumb of your other hand, pluck the end of the extended part of
the ruler.
4. Note the sound it makes and record your observations to table 1.
5. Continue step 1-4 with different lengths.
B. Sound from ruler and table
1. Place a ruler on top of a table.
2. Place your hand/fingers against the 5cm mark.
3. Raise/lift the other end of the ruler and release it from a high elevation
4. Note the sound it makes and record your observations to table 2.
5. Continue step 1-4 with different lengths.
C. Sound from rubber band
1. Get a thick rubber band and place it around an empty box.
2. Label the end to end of one side of the box with 1 cm markings.
 3. Place two ballpen between the rubber band and box on the 1cm mark and
25cm mark
4. Pluck the rubber band on the part between the ballpens.
5. Note the sound it makes and record your observations on table 3.
6. Continue step 1-5 with different positions.

V. Drawings/Documentation
VI. Data and Results

Length Extended off Pit Frequency

against the the edge ch
table (cm)
(cm)
Lo Mediu Hig Lo Mediu Hig
w m h w m h
7 23 / /
10 20 / /
15 15 / /
20 10 / /
27 3 / /
Table 1

Length Length lifted Pit Frequency

hold (cm) ch
(cm)
Lo Mediu Hig Lo Mediu Hig
w m h w m h
5 14 / /
10 10 / /
15 8 / /
20 5 / /
25 5 / /
Table 2
 Ballpen Ballpen 2 Pit Frequency
1 (cm) ch
(cm)
Lo Mediu Hig Lo Mediu Hig
w m h w m h
1 25 / /
1 20 / /
1 15 / /
1 10 / /
1 8 / /
Table 3

VI. Generalizations:
1. What had happened to procedure A if the length of the extended part gets
shorter?

If the length of the extended part gets shorter the pitch and frequency
changes also changes and it becomes higher since the pitch and the vibration
of the frequency changes as you change the length of the ruler, and as the
length of the extended part gets longer it gets lower.

2. What had happened to procedure B if the length of the lifted part of the ruler
gets shorter?
If the length of the lifted part of the ruler gets shorter the pitch and frequency
gets shorter the pitch and frequency gets higher, and if the lifted part gets
longer it gets lower.

3. What had happened to procedure C if the distance between the two ballpen
gets shorter?
In procedure C if the distance of the two ballpen gets shorter the pitch and
frequency gets higher on the contrary if the distance gets longer the pitch and
frequency gets lower.

VII. CONCLUSION

In this activity I have learned the importance of sound waves to humans. Sound
surround us and travels in waves throughout the atmosphere and a vibration occur
from a source and gravy in the atmosphere and vibration creates energy. And
humans use these sound waves not only to communicate but also to perform task.
The sound waves cause ears to send signals to our brain and the speed of the sound
waves will determine the sound pitch, or how high or low the sounds.
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