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SOUND & HEAT ENERGY

• Sound is a form of energy which propagates in the form of wave and needs a medium to
travel.
• Sound travels fastest in Solids and Slowest in gases.
• Sound can not travel through Vacuum.
• A wave is a disturbance which carries energy from one place to another place.
• The two types of waves are discussed below as follows:

o Longitudinal Waves:
▪ When the Particles of medium vibrate along the direction of propagation of waves are
called Longitudinal Waves.
▪ Sound waves are Longitudinal in nature.

o Transverse Waves:
▪ When the particles of medium vibrate in a direction which is perpendicular to the
direction of propagation of wave is called the Transverse waves.
▪ Light waves are Transverse in nature.
• Some of the important characteristics of Sound Waves are given below as follows:

o Wavelength:
▪ The Minimum distance in which a sound wave repeats itself is called its wavelength.
▪ The SI unit of Wavelength is Meter.
▪ It is denoted by Lambda (λ).

• The Maximum upward displacement of a sound wave is known as Crest.

• The Maximum downward displacement of a sound wave is known as Trough.

o Amplitude:
▪ The Maximum displacement of a vibrating object from its mean is called Amplitude.
▪ The SI unit of amplitude is called meter.

o Time Period:
▪ The Time taken to complete one vibration is called time-period.

o Frequency:
▪ The number of vibrations per second is called Frequency.
▪ Frequency = 1/ Time Period

o Loudness:
▪ The loudness of sound is a measure of the sound energy reaching the ear per second.
▪ The loudness of sound is directly proportional to the square of the amplitude.
▪ It is measured in Decibel (dB).

o Pitch:
▪ Pitch is defined as the characteristics of sound by which we can distinguished between
different sounds of the same amplitude.
▪ Pitch is directly proportional to frequency.
• The phenomenon of multiple reflection of sound has multiple uses which are given below
as follows:

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o Musical instruments such as Trumpets, Shehnais etc. work on the principle of multiple
reflection of sound.
o Stethoscope also works on the principle of multiple reflection of sound.
• Reverberation is defined as the prolongation of sound in a hall even though the source
of sound is cut off is called Reverberation.
• The range of hearing of sound is classified as three types:
o Infrasound (Frequency< 20 Hz)
o Audible Sounds (20 Hz<Frequency<20,000 Hz)
o Ultrasound (Frequency>20,000Hz)
• Sonic boom is defined as the explosive noise caused by the shock waves from an aircraft
which is travelling faster than the speed of sound.
• Heat is a form of thermal energy that flows from a region of high temperature to the
region of low temperature.
• The SI unit of temperature is Kelvin.
• The different scales of temperature are given below as follows:
o Celsius Scale
o Fahrenheit Scale
o Kelvin Scale