WAVES

and
OPTICS
ELECTIVE 14
INTRODUCTION
A picture you can hear
• How are sound waves
produced?

MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

SOUND WAVES
Of all the mechanical waves that
occur in nature, the most
important in our everyday lives
are longitudinal waves in a
medium, usually air, called
sound waves.
MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

SOUND WAVES
Besides their use in spoken
communication, our ears allow
us to pick up a myriad of cues
about our environment, from the
welcome sound of a meal being
prepared to the warning sound
of an approaching car.
MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

SOUND WAVES
• longitudinal waves in a
medium
• travels in solid, liquid, and
gases

MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

SINUSOIDAL WAVES
• the simplest sound waves are
sinusoidal waves
• sinusoidal waves have definite
frequency, amplitude, and
wavelength

MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

AUDIBLE RANGE
• the human ear is sensitive to
waves in the frequency range
of 20 to 20, 000 Hz
• ultrasonic (above the range)
• infrasonic (below the range)

MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

PERCEPTION OF SOUND
LOUDNESS
• amplitude of a sinusoidal sound
wave
• greater amplitude = louder sound
PITCH
• depends on the frequency of the
sinusoidal sound wave
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• higher frequency = higher pitch

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

PERCEPTION OF SOUND
TIMBER (TONE QUALITY)
• difference in sound due to
different harmony in musical
sound
NOISE
• the combination of all
frequencies
MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

SPEED OF SOUND

MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

SPEED OF SOUND

MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

SPEED OF SOUND

MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

SPEED OF SOUND
1. A ship uses a sonar
system (Fig. 16.8) to locate
underwater objects.
Find the speed of sound
waves in water and find
the wavelength of a 262-Hz
wave.
MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics

SPEED OF SOUND
2. Find the speed of sound in air at T = 20oC and find the range
of wavelengths in air to which the human ear (which can hear
frequencies in the range of 20–20,000 Hz) is sensitive. The
mean molar mass for air is M = 28.8 x 10-3 kg/mol and the ratio
of heat capacities is 1.40.

MOUNT FLORES COLLEGE

ELECTIVE 14 – Waves and Optics