Transfer

of sound energy through vibration

Sunday, 20 June 2021 4:13 PM

Production and transmission of sound

• Sound is a form of energy and travels in the forms of waves.
• Sound is produced by vibrating source (eg. tuning fork) in a medium because of the vibrations between particles
of a medium
• When vibrating source vibrates , it causes the surrounding air molecules to have a series of compression
(compressed) and rarefactions (spread out) . The molecules collide with other neighbouring molecules and
cause them to vibrate. This energy from vibrating source will pass along the molecules until it reaches our ears.
• In a region of compression , the air pressure is higher than the surrounding air (medium) whereas in a region of
rarefaction , the air pressure is lower than the surrounding air.

• From a graph of air pressure against distance , two components of sound wave can be
determined:
- Wavelength - the distance between two consecutive rarefaction or compressions
- Amplitude - the maximum
• Sound cannot travel in a vacuum because there is no vibration of medium particles
• A medium consists of particles that allow sound to travel from one point to another point. The
medium can be in solid , liquid or gaseous state.
• The speed of sound can be calculated using the following relationship:
V = d/t

V= volume
D= distance travelled
T= time taken

• Speed of sound depends on the type of medium it travels in. Sound travels at different speed in
different medium. This is due to the arrangement of particles in the medium
• The following table shows the approximate speed of sound , distance between particles in a
medium and time taken for sound to travel in different states of medium.

Example of State of Approximate speed Distance between Time taken to travel one
medium medium of sound (m/s) particles in a medium point to another
Iron Solid 5000 Shortest Shortest
Water Liquid 1500 Further Longer
Air Gas 330 Furthest Longest

• Two physical condition affect the speed of sound :

- Temperature
The speed of sound as temperature increases.
- Humidity
The speed of sound increases as humidity increases.

Pitch and loudness of sound

• Pitch and loudness determine the pleasantness of sound

• The pitch of a sound wave depends on the frequency of the wave
Pitch of sound waves increases as its frequency increases
• Frequency is the number of vibration in one second. It’s unit is hertz (Hz)

• The loudness of sound wave depends on the size of vibration known as the amplitude of the wave.
Loudness of sound wave increases as its amplitude increases.

Detection of sound

• Sound waves of frequency above 20 000 Hz is known as ultrasound.

• Sound waves of frequency below 20 Hz is known as infrasound
• In general , a person can hear sound range of frequencies between 20 Hz and 20 000 Hz that is
known as audible sound. A person cannot hear the sound of frequency below and above this range of
audibility

How ear detect sounds ?

Three important parts of ear Function

Outer ear known as pinna or auricle To gather sound and pass through hollow passage
that lead to middle ear
Middle ear consists of ear drum and 3 small ear To turn sound waves into vibrations and deliver them
bronzes ( hammer , anvil , stirrup) to the inner ear
Inner ear known as auditory nerve Nerve cells converts the vibrations from middle ear
into electrical signals and send to brain

• Sound is produced by vibrating source in a medium reaches the outer ear. The sound waves pass
through the hollow passage that leads to middle ear . The vibrations cause the eardrum which is located
in the middle part starts to vibrate. These vibration are magnified by three ear bones and transmitted to
auditory nerve in the inner ear. These vibration are changed into electrical signals and send to the brain.
Where these signals are interpreted as sound