GOOD VIBRATIONS

20. Sound Wave Properties

Good Vibrations
Student Instruction Sheet

Challenge
Determine the relationship between frequency, wavelength, period, and pitch. You
will do this in three parts using WAVEPORT's Sound Creator.
In the first part, you will explore the tools and features of Sound Creator while
qualitatively determining how frequency, wavelength, period, and pitch are
related. The second part is an extension of the first. Upon completion of it, you
will not only confirm your findings in the first part, but you will also be able to
express the mathematical relationship between period and frequency. The third
part is also an extension of the first. You will again confirm findings from the
first part, and also express the mathematical relationship between wavelength
and frequency.

Equipment and Materials

Student Instruction Sheet
Student Response Sheets 1 & 2

Computer w/ Speakers
DataStudio software
WAVEPORT plug-in

Safety Precautions
Remember, follow the directions for using the equipment.

Background
Much of the information about the world around you comes via waves,
electromagnetic waves (light waves) and mechanical waves. Sound is a longitudinal
mechanical wave. A mechanical wave is a traveling disturbance that carries
energy from one place to another. As an object vibrates, it transfers energy to
the particles of the matter that surround it, causing the particles to also vibrate.

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These vibrations are manifested in a series of compressions (pulses of

compressed air or other matter) and rarefactions (disturbances in the air or
other matter where the pressure is lowered) as energy moves out from the
source. When the vibrations reach the eardrum, it in turn vibrates. This vibration
is registered in our brain as sound.
Longitudinal waves occur when a
medium vibrates parallel to the
direction in which the wave travels.
A medium is the material through
which the sound travels. Without a
medium (i.e., in a vacuum such as
space) there can be no sound. It is
useful to represent sound waves in
a wave diagram (Figure 1) in which
the crests represent areas of
Figure 1 (a) Compression and rarefaction of air molecules.
(b) Wave diagram corresponding to the disturbances pictured
compression of molecules in the
above it.
medium, the troughs represent
areas of rarefaction, and the baseline is the average or normal pressure of the
molecules in the medium.
You can often create a tone by blowing air across the top of an empty glass
bottle. When you add some water to the bottle and blow, the tone changes its
pitch. What is it about sound waves that make one have a different pitch than
another? Changing a pitch (how low or high a sound seems to be) and loudness
involves changing some of the properties of a sound wave. By adding water to the
bottle, you have done something to change the properties of the wave. To
understand how those properties relate to each other and affect the sound, you
must first understand what some of those properties are. As you read further
about those properties refer to the wave diagram in Figure 2.
Wavelength is the distance
between two consecutive similar
points on a wave. The wave in
Figure 2 has a wavelength of
0.782 meter.
Humans are generally capable of
hearing sound through air with
wavelengths between 0.017 m and
17 m.

Figure 2 Six complete wavelengths.

The amplitude of the wave is the

distance from the baseline to the crest or trough.

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The speed of the wave is determined by the medium through which it travels.
Table 1, displays such data. You may recall old Western movies where the cowboy
puts his ear on the train track to find out if the train is coming. He will hear the
train through the rails first because sound travels faster through metal than it
does through the air because the sound does not obey the inverse square law.
Speed of Sound at 20C & 1 atm
Material
Speed (m/s)
Air

343

Helium

1005

Hydrogen

1300

Water

1440

Sea Water

1560

Iron and Steel

~5000

Glass

~4500

Aluminum

~5100

Hard Wood

~4000

A cycle is exactly one completion of a vibration.

Frequency is the number of waves that pass a given point per unit of time. The
unit used to measure wave frequency is the hertz (Hz). This unit is named after
Heinrich Hertz who was one of the first scientists to study certain types of
waves. A frequency of 1 Hz is equal to one wave, or one cycle (including a
compression and rarefaction) per second.
1 Hz = 1 wave/second
The wave in Figure 3 had a frequency of 20 Hz, or 20 cycles per second.
Period is defined as
the amount of time
required for a single
cycle to pass
through a given
point. In Figure 3
the period is
0.00455 s.

Figure 3

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Predict
Before beginning the eLab, complete the prediction portion of the Student
Response Sheet.

Explore
Computer Setup
1. Launch the DataStudio program.
2. Select Open Activity from the Welcome to DataStudio window.
3. Navigate to the folder containing the DataStudio configuration files and
choose
20 Sound Wave Properties CF.ds.
This is a DataStudio Workbook file configured to prompt the appropriate displays
for each of the three activities in this lab.

Record Data Part 1: Identify the Functions (page 1 of the

DataStudio Workbook file)
1. Use your mouse cursor to manipulate each of the Sound Creator tools in the
DataStudio file. First, discover how to make the tone play. Then, with the tone
playing, determine not only the function of the tool, but also how manipulating
the properties of the wave affect the tone. Record your results as instructed
on the Part 2 Student Response Sheet.
2. Upon completion of the questions for this section of the activity, click on the
arrow next to the page number at the bottom of the computer screen to move
to the next section.

Record Data Part 2: Period vs. Frequency (page 2 of the

DataStudio Workbook file)
In this part of the activity you will collect at least 6 data points to help
determine how the period varies with the frequency. You will be entering the
values into a data table in the Workbook. Be sure to enter the frequencies in
the order of increasing value.
1. On page 2 of the DataStudio Workbook file, turn the sound on by clicking on
the speaker.

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2. In the first cell of the table to the right of the Sound Creator display, enter
the frequency (shown in the window at the top of Sound Creators display).
Note: If no data appears in the cell while you type, it is
because the table is not active. To activate the table, click on
the cell in which you intend to enter data. The tone will
temporarily stop while the table is active, but it will resume
when you click anywhere on the Sound Creator display.

3. After you enter the value for the frequency, press the Enter or Tab key to
move to the next column and record the corresponding Period. After typing in
the value be sure to press Enter to record it.

Note: Change the horizontal scale (

) if you cannot

see the value for the period in the display.

4. Increase the frequency by clicking the Decimal or Multiplier buttons

(

) to the RIGHT of the frequency window. Be sure

that the range frequency between your first data point and last data point is
at least 8,000 Hz.
5. Click on the table and enter the next set of data points.
6. Continue changing the frequency and entering data into the table until you
have collected at least 6 sets of data points.

Analyze Part 2 (page 3 of the DataStudio Workbook file)

Go to page 3, Period vs. FrequencyA Step Further, by clicking on the arrow by
the number at the bottom of the screen. The data table from page 2 appears
along with a graph plot of your data points.
1. Click on the Scale-to-Fit (
graph axes.

) button on the graph toolbar to rescale the

2. Observe the shape of the curve of your data and determine the type of
mathematical expression that best describes it.
3. Click the Curve Fit button (
) on the graph toolbar and choose the type
of curve fit expression that best approximates the mathematical relationship
between Frequency and Period. After you click on your selection, a plot of that

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selection appears on the graph, and box opens displaying the parameters of
the fit. The closer the Mean Squared Error is to 0, the better the fit.
4. Answer the questions on the Student Response Sheet.

Record Data Part 3: Wavelength vs. Frequency

In this part of the activity you will collect at least ten data points to help
determine how the wavelength varies with the frequency. You will be entering the
values into a data table in the Workbook. Be sure to enter the frequencies in
the order of increasing value.
1. On page 4 of the DataStudio Workbook file, turn the sound on by clicking on
the speaker.
2. In the first cell of the table to the right of the Sound Creator display, enter
the frequency.
3. After you enter the value for the frequency, press the Tab key to move to the
next column and record the corresponding wavelength.
4. Increase the frequency by clicking the Decimal or Multiplier buttons
to the RIGHT of the frequency window. Be sure that
the range frequency between your first data point and last data point is at
least 8,000 Hz.
5. Click on the table and enter the next set of data points.
6. Continue changing the frequency and entering data into the table until you
have collect at least 10 sets of data points.

Analyze Part 3 (page 5 of the DataStudio Workbook)

Go to page 5, Wavelength vs. FrequencyA Step Further, by clicking on the arrow
by the number at the bottom of the screen. The data table from page 5 appears
along with a graph plot of your data points.
1. Click on the Scale-to-Fit button on the graph toolbar to rescale the graph
axes and most adequately display your data.
2. Observe the shape of the curve of your data and determine the type of
mathematical expression that best describes it.

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3. Click the Curve Fit button on the graph toolbar and choose the type of curve
fit expression that best approximates the mathematical relationship between
Frequency and Wavelength. After you click on your selection, a plot of that
selection appears on the graph, and a box opens displaying the parameters of
the fit. Be sure to note the scale factor.
4. Answer the questions and define the vocabulary words on the Student
Response Sheet.
5. Follow your teachers instructions regarding cleaning up your work space.

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Student Response SheetDay 1

Name:__________________________________
Date:_______________________________

Good Vibrations

Vocabulary
Use available resources to find the definitions of the following terms:

compression: _________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
crest: ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
mechanical wave: ______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
medium: _____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
rarefaction: __________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
trough: ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

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Predict
1. How do you think sound waves are created?

2. How do you think sound waves are transmitted?

Data
Note your observations for each of the activities.
Activity

Description of Results (Note what you saw,

heard and felt.)

Touch a vibrating tuning

fork to the surface of a pan
of water.
Tie a lightweight object to a
piece of thread and dangle it
near a vibrating tuning fork.
Blow into a straw that has a
V shape snipped out of the
opposite end.
Place a noise making object,
such as an alarm clock with a
clapper or a wound up toy
cymbal-clapping monkey, into
a bell jar and evacuate the
air.

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Analyze
1. By what means is sound produced? Which of the four activities demonstrated
this?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. What is required for sound to be present? Which activity demonstrated this?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Synthesize
1. Why is it impossible for sound to occur in a vacuum?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one around to hear it, does it make
a sound?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

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Describe the Graphs

3. Label the regions of this representation of a sound wave, then, over the top of
the diagram, sketch in an appropriate wave that represents the same sound.

Figure 1

4. Label the parts on the sound wave below

.

Figure 2

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Student Response SheetDay 2

Name:__________________________________
Date:_______________________________

Good Vibrations

Vocabulary
Use available resources to find the definitions of the following terms:

amplitude: ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
cycle: ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
frequency: ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
hertz: ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
loudness: ____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
period: _____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

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pitch: _______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

wavelength: __________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Predict
1. How do you think frequency, wavelength, and pitch of a sound waves are
related?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. What do you think is the relationship between the frequency and period of a
sound wave?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Data
Part 1: Identify the Functions (DataStudio Workbook Page 1)
For each of the following tools found in Sound Creator, identify how using it
affects (1) the appearance of the display and/or the waves properties and (2) the
sound of the wave.
Speaker
(1) _____________________________________________________
(2) ____________________________________________________

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Amplitude Tool
(1) _____________________________________________________
(2) ____________________________________________________

Pitch Tool
(1) _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
(2) ____________________________________________________
What wave property do the numbers with the units of time (s) indicate?
_______________________________________________________
Phase Tool
(1) _____________________________________________________
(2) ____________________________________________________

Horizontal Axis Buttons (Scale Buttons)

(1) _____________________________________________________
(2) ____________________________________________________

What wave property is shown in the window? _________________

Analyze
1. How did increasing and decreasing the amplitude affect the sound?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________
2. Explain how decreasing the period affects the:
a. frequency ____________________________________________
b. pitch ________________________________________________
3. Explain how increasing the period affects the:
a. frequency ____________________________________________
b. pitch ________________________________________________
4. Describe how you would adjust the frequency to get a higher-pitched tone and
explain how this might affect the period.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

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Part 2: Period vs. Frequency

(See DataStudio Workbook page 3 for data on this activity section.)
1. What happened to the period as you increased the frequency?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. Hid did the pitch change as you increased the frequency?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. A Step FurtherWhat is the mathematical relationship between frequency
and period?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

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Part 3: Wavelength vs. Frequency

(See DataStudio Workbook page 5 for data on this activity section.)
1. What happened to the wavelength as you increased the frequency?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. A Step FurtherWhat is the mathematical relationship between frequency
and wavelength? What is the significance of the value of the scale factor?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. A Step FurtherA sound wave traveled through a piece of wood taken from a
fallen tree with a frequency of 855 Hz and a wavelength of 47 m. Calculate
the speed of sound in the wood?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

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