Chapter 10: Sound Wave

Characteristics of Sound Waves

1. Sound is a form of energy caused by vibration.

2. The air particles surrounding the object vibrate when the object vibrates. This vibration causes the
particles around it to vibrate and produces a movement pattern. This is known as sound waves.

Aim
A. To study the characteristics of sound propagation

(i) Requires a medium to propagate

(ii) Propagation at different speeds in different medium

Observation

Discussion
1. In activity (i), the sound of the alarm clock is heard in the beginning because sound can propagate
through air.

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2. When the air is sucked out, the loudness of the sound decreases because the number of air particles
has been reduced. No sound is heard at all when all the air has been removed because there are no
more air particles left to transfer the sound vibration.

3. Sound cannot propagate through vacuum.

4. Sound is transmitted quickly through solids, followed by liquids and gases. This is because the
particles in solids are arranged closely together. Hence, the kinetic energy can be transferred from one
particle to other particles more quickly.

Conclusion
Sound requires a medium to propagate. The speed of propagation varies in different mediums.

B) Sound can be reflected and absorbed

Materials Observation

Piece of metal The sound of the ticking of the clock can be heard clearly.
Towel The sound of the ticking of the clock cannot be heard clearly.

Discussion
1. Metal is a good reflector of sound.
2. Towel is a good absorber of sound.

Conclusion
Sound can be reflected and absorbed by a surface.

Transfer of Sound
1. Sound requires a medium to propagate.
2. Sound can propagate through a liquid, solid and gas, but not through vacuum.

Reflection and Absorption of Sound

1. Sound can be reflected and absorbed when it hits the surface of an object.
2. The amount of sound reflected or absorbed depends on the surface of the object.
3. Hard and smooth surfaces are good sound reflectors. For example marble tiles and metal sheet.
4. Soft and rough surfaces are good sound absorbers. For example the carpet, sponge and soft board.

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Loudness and Pitch of Sound
1. Our ears can differentiate the sounds that are heard because sounds have different strengths and
pitches.

2. The strength or loudness of a sound depends on its amplitude. The higher the amplitude of the sound
waves, the louder the sound.

3. Pitch of the sound depends on the frequency of the sound waves. The higher the frequency of the
sound waves, the higher the pitch.

4. Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz). 1 Hz is 1 vibration per second.

Aim: To study the effect of amplitude on the loudness and the effect of frequency on the pitch

Observation

Conclusion
1. The loudness of the sound increases when the amplitude of the waves increases.

2. The pitch of the sound increases when the frequency of the waves increases.

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Relationships between loudness, amplitude, pitch of a sound and frequency.

Doppler Effect
1. The Doppler Effect sound is the change in frequency caused by the movement of the source of the
sound, the observer or both.

Phenomenon of Reflection of Sound Waves

1. An echo is produced when sound waves are reflected from a hard surface to the listener.

2. The echo is similar to its original sound but it takes some time to reach the listener’s ears.

3. It often happens inside closed areas like an enclosed hall, an empty room, a cave and a tunnel.

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Application of Reflection of Sound Waves
1. Reflection of sound waves or echoes can be used to determine distance and determine the
location of an object.

2. Ultrasound is a type of sound wave with a frequency of more than 20 000 Hz.

3. An ultrasound cannot be heard by humans but can be heard by some animals.

4. Animals like the bat and the dolphin use ultrasound to detect its victims and to estimate the distance /
for navigation.

5. SONAR is the equipment that uses technology that works on the principle of sound reflection.

6. This technology is used to determine the depth of sea. When sound waves hit the seafloor, they will
be reflected. The depth of the sea can be calculated by using the time taken for the sound to be
reflected.

7. In fishing industry, SONAR is used to detect the location of fish.

8. An ultrasound machine is used to examine foetus in the mother’s womb. The probe transmits
ultrasound waves and receives the echoes. Information from the echoes is shown as an image on the
monitor screen.

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Limitation of Hearing
1. The frequency of sound that can be detected by human ear is limited to the range of 20 Hz to 20 000
Hz.

2. This range decreases as we grow older because our ears lose their sensitivity to sound frequencies.

3. The limited sense of hearing in humans makes us unable to hear soft sounds and sounds from a
distance.

4. Therefore, we need to use special devices to overcome these limitations.