What are the

properties of
sound?
Quarter 3: Lesson 54-55:
 Play a guitar.

What do you hear?

 Sound

Is a type of energy we
hear.
 Vibrates

Moves quickly back and

forth.
Compression

Rarefaction
 Outer ear Inner ear

Ear drum

Middle ear
 Sound Waves

Vibrations that move

through matter
Direction of sound

Direction of energy
 Sound waves moves in the
same direction the energy is
moving in.

Longitudinal
Waves
Waves that move in a different
direction.

Transverse
Waves
Sounds travel through 3 media.

- Sound travels through the solid the fastest

(energy passed through closely packed particles)
- Sound travels through the gases the
slowest.
 What is an echo?
Echo are sound waves that are reflected
back.
(When the sound wave hits a flat, firm
surface)
 How can echo or noise be
reduced?

By covering the room with soft, thick, uneven

material.

Floor foam Wall padding Wood panels Wall art

 How does covering rooms with the above
materials help?

When a sound wave hits the material the

sound is absorbed (changes to thermal energy).

Absorption:
Transfer of energy when
a wave disappears into a
surface.
 Frequency

The number of times an object vibrates per

second.

Unit:
Hertz (Hz).
 Musical notes can be:

High notes Low notes

Pitch

How high or low sound is.

 Low pitch
sounds has
lower
frequency.

High pitch
sounds has
higher
frequency.
Is there a difference between pitch
and frequency?
YES!!!

Pitch is the way our ears hear sound.

(The way we hear sound is related to the
number of peaks BUT, they are not the
same thing)
 How to change pitch?

High pitch
Short guitar string

Vibrates fast
causing high pitch
 Low pitch
Long guitar string

Vibrates slowly
causing low pitch
If you are standing still the sound waves will
sound normal
If the source of sound is moving towards
you, you will hear more vibrations.

So the sound
you are
hearing
becomes high
pitched.
If the source of sound is moving away from
you, you will hear less vibrations.

So the sound you are hearing

becomes low pitched.
 When sound frequency changes due to
moving towards or away from the sound.

The Doppler
effect.
When you are TALKING the sound waves
will look like this

When you are SCREAMING the sound

waves will look like this

When you are WHISPERING the sound

waves will look like this
 Amplitude

How dense is the air during compressions

and rarefactions.
Units:
Decibels (dB)
Humans hearing range.