Sound

How does
sound work?
 Sound: What is it?
 Sound is a disturbance that
travels through a medium
as a longitudinal wave.
 Interactions of sound waves:
 Reflection:
Sound waves reflect
when they strike an object.
 Interactions of sound waves:
 Reflection:
Sound waves reflect
when they strike an object.
 You hear this as an echo.
 Interactions of sound waves:
 Reflection:
Sound waves reflect
when they strike an object.
 You hear this as an echo.
 Diffraction:
Sound waves “bend”
around corners or “squeeze”
through a door.
 Interactions of sound waves:
 Reflection: Sound waves reflect when they strike
an object.
 You hear this as an echo.
 Diffraction: Sound waves “bend” around corners
or “squeeze” through a door.
 Interference: Sound waves may interact with
each other.
 Speed of sound waves:
 Depends on the elasticity,
density, and temperature of the
medium the sound is traveling
through.
 Speed of sound waves:
 Depends on the elasticity,
density, and temperature of the
medium the sound is traveling
through.
 Elasticity:
the ability of a material to
bounce back after it is disturbed.
 Speed of sound waves:
 Depends on the elasticity,
density, and temperature of the
medium the sound is traveling
through.
 Elasticity:
the ability of a material to
bounce back after it is disturbed.
 The more dense the medium the slower
sound travels through it.
 Speed of sound waves:
 Depends on the elasticity, density,
and temperature of the medium the
sound is traveling through.
 Elasticity:
the ability of a material to
bounce back after it is disturbed.
 The more dense the medium the slower
sound travels through it.
 The lower the temperature the slower
sound travels through a medium.
 Speed of sound waves:
Air at room temp. = 343 m/s
 Speed of sound waves:
Airat room temp. = 343 m/s
Fresh water = 1,509 m/s
 Speed of sound waves:
Airat room temp. = 343 m/s
Fresh water = 1,509 m/s
Glass = 5,170 m/s
 Properties of sound:
 Loudness: Describes your
perception of the energy of the
sound.
 Properties of sound:
 Loudness: Describes your
perception of the energy of the
sound.
 Depends on distance from the source
and energy used to make the sound.
 Properties of sound:
 Loudness: Describes your
perception of the energy of the
sound.
 Depends on distance from the source
and energy used to make the sound.
 Measured in decibels (dB).
 Properties of sound:
 Loudness: Describes your perception
of the energy of the sound.
 Depends on distance from the source
and energy used to make the sound.
 Measured in decibels (dB).
 Intensity:
The amount of energy a
sound wave carries through an area
each second.
 Pitch
A measure of how high or low a
sound is.
 Pitch
A measure of how high or low a
sound is.
 Pitch depends on the frequency of a
sound wave
 Pitch
A measure of how high or low a
sound a is.
 Pitch depends on the frequency of a
sound wave
 Pitch
A measure of how high or low a
sound a is.
 Pitch depends on the frequency of a
sound wave

- Low pitch -
High pitch
- Low frequency - High frequency
- Longer wavelength - Shorter wavelength
Sonar
 Sonar
- An instrument that uses reflected sound
waves to find underwater objects
 Sonar
- An instrument that uses reflected sound
waves to find underwater objects
- For example,
 Sonar
- An instrument that uses reflected sound
waves to find underwater objects
- For example,
 Sonar
- An instrument that uses reflected sound
waves to find underwater objects
- For example,

Animals use sonar or echo location to find their

prey; these sounds have such a high pitch or
frequency that the human ear cannot hear
 Sonar
- An instrument that uses reflected sound
waves to find underwater objects
- For example,

Animals use sonar or echo location to find their

prey; these sounds have such a high pitch or
frequency that the human ear cannot hear
 Sonar
- An instrument that uses reflected sound
waves to find underwater objects
- For example,

Humans use sonar

to locate or map
objects

Animals use sonar or echo location to find their

prey; these sounds have such a high pitch or
frequency that the human ear cannot hear
 Doppler Effect:
 Definition:The change in frequency
of a wave as its source moves in
relation to an observer.
 Doppler Effect:
 Definition:The change in frequency
of a wave as its source moves in
relation to an observer.

Lower pitch
Higher pitch
 Blue Man Group Challenge!
 Blue Man Group
 You’re HIRED!
 So what am I supposed to do exactly?
Can I use or make an instrument
that already exists?
 No way! You could, if you really wanted
to…but wouldn’t you rather challenge
yourself to invent something never seen
before? C’mon, I know you can do it!
Besides, building a piano is really
complicated. And putting a piece of string
on top of a piano isn’t really
groundbreaking, either.
 Let’s look at some examples!
 Let’s look at some examples!
 Awesome
 Not Awesome
 Shoe box with rubber bands attached
Oatmeal box with beads in it or paper on top
to create a drum
 Tambourines made from paper plates
 Bongos made from tubs and paper