SOUND

Science: 2nd Secondary Education

WHAT IS A SOUND?
Sound is a form of mechanical energy which is produced by the vibration of an
object. Sound travels in waves through solids, liquids and gases. It cannot travel
through a vacuum, there must be a medium for the sound to travel.
Frequency is the measure of how fast or slow an object vibrates. It is the number
of vibrations or complete oscillations produced in a second. This is expressed in
oscillations per second; this unit is a Hertz (Hz); 1 Hertz = 1 vibration/second.
Audible sounds are produced when a body vibrates with a frequency between 20
and 20,000 Hz.
So, we can say that sound is always produced when a body vibrates at a
frequency between 20 and 20,000 Hz and there is a material medium that it can
travel through.
The qualities of sound are:
Intensity (A.K.A. loudness): Sounds can be loud or soft, depending on
the amplitude of the sound wave. The intensity of sound is measured in Decibels
(dB).
Pitch: Sounds can be high or low depending on the frequency of their
waves. It differentiates the high and low notes of the same intensity, produced by
a musical instrument. Pitch is measured in Hertz (Hz).
Sounds with a low frequency have a low pitch and sounds with a high frequency
have a high pitch.
Tone (A.K.A. timbre): It allows us to identify the source of a sound which
has the same frequency and intensity. Different instruments can be identified by
their tone. So, tone (or timbre) lets us identify different musical instruments even
though they are playing the same note.
* BE CAREFUL!!: tone is a false friend; it is translated as timbre in spanish,
and the word pitch is translated as tono in spanish
At what speed does sound travel?
Sound travels in form of a wave, in which energy travels, but matter doesnt.
The speed at which sound travels depends on:
The caracteristics of the medium. It must be elastic.
In general, solid bodies are more elastic than liquids and liquids are more
elastic tan gases. So, the speed at which sounds travels is greater in
liquids than in gases and even greater in solids.

vsolids > vliquids > vgases

Temperature

When the material medium is homogeneus, sound travels at a constant speed.

Sound travels through air at a constant speed of 340 m/s (when the temperature
is around 20C).
Thanks to this data we can calculate distances.
speed = distance / time
1

SOUND
Science: 2nd Secondary Education
1.-Put the words in order to make sentences. Then, answer them (and give
reasons for your answer)
a) sound / through a vacuum / travel / Can / ?
b) does / In which state of matter / more quickly / sound travel / ?
2.- Translate these words
Sound:
Intensity:
Pitch:
Tone:

Decibel:
Frecuency:

3.- What is intensity of a sound?:

4.- What is pitch of a sound?
5.- What is tone of a sound?
6.- Match with arrows:
Sound
Intensity
Pitch
Tone

allows us to identify the source of a sound.

helps us distinguish between low and high sounds.
depends upon the amplitude of the waves.
is produced by the vibration of an object.

SOUND
Science: 2nd Secondary Education

Speed of sound in iron: 5,130 m/s.

11. Put the following frequencies of sounds in order from the lowest to the highest
pitched:
800 Hz

125 Hz

526 Hz

250 Hz

HOW IS SOUND REFLECTED?

Sound is reflected when a sound wave meets an obstacle. The sound wave
bounces off and changes direction.
The reflection of sound is used in many different fields, for example:
- Sonar uses the reflection of sound to detect objects at sea
or measuring the depth of the ocean.
The reflection of sound produces two phenomena:
- Echo: It is produced when a sound is reflected by an obstacle. The obstacle
must be situated at least 17 meters away. Both the initial sound and the reflected
sound are heard. The human ear needs at least 0.1 seconds between both
sounds to hear them separately. Hard surfaces reflect sound better than soft
surface.
- Reverberation (A.K.A. reverb): It occurs when a sound is reflected by an
obstacle that is situated less than 17 m away. The initial sound and the reflected
sound are heard, but they are mixed, we hear one single prolonged sound.

SOUND
Science: 2nd Secondary Education
-Echolocation
Echolocation is a process of detecting and locating objects by sending out sound
waves and hearing the echoes that return from the objects
This is used in order to see rather than to communicate
Found throughout the animal world in whales, dolphins, birds and bats
12.- Translate these words:
Sound reflected:
Ultrasonic waves:
Echo:

Reflexion of sound:
Sonar:
Ultrasonic waves:

13.- What is the difference between echo and reverberation?

Solve the next problems:
14.- You are standing on top of a mountain and there are two mountains in front
of you. You shout Go to Hell!! and after 3 and 5 seconds respectively the two
mountains in front of you shout back.
a) How far away is each mountain?
You are now standing 800 m and 1,560 m away from the two mountains .
b) If you shout, how long will it take for you to hear the two echoes?
c) Will be there more tan two echoes in the situation in b) If so, how long will
it take for you to hear the third echo?
15.- A sonar sends a pulse of ultrasound and receives an echo 0.45 seconds
later. Calculate the depth of the sea.
Speed of sound in water: 1,500 m/s
16.- Imagine that a meteorite crashes on the Moon and there is a huge explosin.
How long will it take for us to hear the explosin if the distance between the Earth
and the Moon is 384,000 km?
Sound pollution:
Sound or noise pollution occurs when people or animals are exposed to levels of
sound that are stressful or damaging to their hearing. Noise is caused by road
traffic, aircrafts, trains, industries and entertainment centres, such as bars and
discotheques. The recommend maximum level of ambient noise should not
exceed 65 db.
How to reduce sound pollution:
- Building can be insulated to keep out loud noises.
- Aircraft flight paths can be diverted away from cities.
- Traffic can be reduced in city centres.
- Legislation can establish limits on the intensity of noise from entertainment
centres.