Sound Waves & Echoes

POWER POINT PRESENTATION

Year 11
 Waves
A wave:
• is an oscillation,
• Accompanied by a transfer of energy,
• That travels through space or mass,
• Without transferring the medium.
 Sound
Sound:
• Is a form of wave energy/motion,
• Conveyed through an elastic medium,
• All the way to the listener.
 Sound waves

Sound waves are:

• Longitudinal mechanical waves,
• Produced by a vibrating body,
• Which exhibits oscillatory motion,
• To and fro along the direction of the wave.
• They can only move through media but not
vacuum.
 Speed of sound

• Dry air(20 °C): 343.2 m/s

• In water: 1,484 m/s
• In iron: 5,120 m/s
• The speed is affected by the density of the
medium.
 Properties of Sound waves
• Soundwaves also undergo :
reflection(echoes), refraction,
diffraction.
• Sound waves cannot undergo
polarisation.
 Reflection
• A reflection of sound is called an echo.
• This arrives at the listener later after the direct
sound.
• Sound waves reflect off a hard surface,
• Absorbed by soft surfaces, curtains and co.