5.

16 Sound Waves Audio waves Ultrasound waves Infrasonic Waves

Frequency between 20 Hz Frequency above 20 kHz Frequency below 20 Hz

to 20 kHz
(Can be heard by human (Cannot be heard by (Cannot be heard by
ears) human ears) human ears)

1. Sound waves
• Are Longitudinal waves Applications of sound waves

• Require a medium for its propagation

2. Sound wave is produced by compressing and stretching the air

• Compression is a region of high pressure
• Rarefaction is a region of low pressure • Calculating distances using the reflection of sound waves:

3. No sound is heard in the outer space because outer space consists of no air
4. The loudness of sound waves depends on its amplitude, the louder the sound, the bigger
is its amplitude
5. The pitch of sound waves depends on its frequency, the higher the pitch of the sound,
the higher is its frequency • Diagnosing for pregnancy and internal organs
• Locating the position of an object

Wave

Loudness Low Low High High

Pitch Low High Low High

• Disintegration of kidney stones

• Cleaning glass and ornaments with ultrasonic waves
6. The speed of sound in solids > liquids > gases because the density of solid > liquid > gas
• Communicating among animals
• Detecting cracks or flaws inside metal

郑老师 SPM STPM Physics & Chemistry 网上专科补习班 012 962 3130 1
Exercise 5.16

3. A student is standing in front of wall. He gives a loud clap and the echo is heard after
1. A microphone is connected to a cathode-ray oscilloscope. Three types of sound waves
0.4s. If the speed of sound in air is 330 ms-1, Calculate the distance between the student
are received by the microphone. The wave forms A, B and C displayed on the screen of
and the wall
the cathode-ray oscilloscope were obtained as shown in the diagram below,
a) Which wave form represents a sound wave of loud sound? Explain your answer.

b) Which wave form shows a sound wave with the lowest pitch? Explain your answer.
4. A fishing boat used ultrasonic pulses to detect a shoal of fish. The echo from the shoal is
detected 0.12 s later. The speed of the sound waves in the water is 1500 ms -1.
a) How far has a pulse traveled in 0.12 s?

2. Peter shouts loudly in front of a concrete wall. After 1.4 s. he heard the echo of his voice.
If the speed of sound in air is 330 ms-1, find the distance between Peter and the wall. b) How far below the boat is the shoal of fish?

c) Suggest a reason why ultrasonic waves are used instead of audible sound waves for
this purpose.

郑老师 SPM STPM Physics & Chemistry 网上专科补习班 012 962 3130 2
 7. A radar transmits a signal towards an aeroplane. The velocity of the signal is 3 x 10 8
ms-1. After 4 x 10-3s, the radar detects the reflected signal. What is the distance of the
aeroplane from the radar? [SPM 2007 P1 Q33]

5. Diagram 28 shows how the reflection of a sound wave is used to find the depth of a
wrecked ship. What is the depth of the wrecked ship if the reflected sound wave is
detected 0.2 s later? [Speed of sound wave in water = 1530 ms-1] [SPM 2010 P1 Q35]

6. Diagram shows s submarine transmitting ultrasonic waves at a big rock on the sea bed.
After 10 seconds, the submarine detects the reflected waves. Calculate the distance of
the submarine from the big rock. (Velocity of ultrasonic waves = 1560 ms-1) [SPM 2006 8. Diagram 19 shows a stretched steel wire which produces a loud sound when the wire is
P1 Q33] plucked. A loud sound means [SPM 2009 P1 Q33]
A. A high-speed C. A high frequency
B. A large amplitude D. A large wavelength

郑老师 SPM STPM Physics & Chemistry 网上专科补习班 012 962 3130 3
9. Diagram 26 shows an audio signal generator connected to a cathode ray oscilloscope
generator connected to a cathode ray oscilloscope, CRO. Which signal shows the loudest
and highest pitched audio signal? [SPM 2009 P1 Q44]

10. A thin guitar string is strummed hard. It will produce a loud and high pitch sound. The
most suitable graph to represent the above situation is [SPM 2006 P1 Q29]

郑老师 SPM STPM Physics & Chemistry 网上专科补习班 012 962 3130 4