The City School

GULSHAN CAMPUS C
PHYSICS Worksheet #
17 Topic: Sound
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7. (a) Underline the most appropriate value below for the speed of sound in water. [1]
1.5 m/s 15 m/s 150 m/s 1500 m/s 15000 m/s

(b) Sound travels in water as a series of compressions and rarefactions. Describe what is meant by
compression and by a rarefaction.

(c) An echo-sounder sends out a pulse of sound to determine the depth of the sea bed. It
measures the time between sending out the pulse and receiving its echo. Fig. 7.1 shows a boat
using an echo sounder. The sea bed is 12 m below the echo sounder.
(i) Use your value for the speed of sound in water from (a) to calculate the time between the
sending out of the pulse and receiving its echo. [3]
(ii) The boat passes over a region of the sea bed of the same depth, where the reflection of sound
waves is weaker. State whether there is an increase, a decrease or no change in the amplitude
and pitch of the reflected wave. [2]

8. Fig. 5.1 shows a girl standing some distance away from a rock face.

She has a flat piece of wood in each hand. When the girl bangs the two pieces of wood
together, they make a loud sound. A short time later she hears the sound again.
(a) Why does she hear this second sound? [1]

(b) The time interval between the two sounds is 1.8s. Sound travels at 330 m/s in air. Calculate the
distance of the girl from the rock face. [3]

(c) A boy standing very close to the rock face only hears one sound. How long after the gir l makes
the sound does he hear this sound? [1]

9. (a) A sound wave in air consists of alternate compressions and rarefactions along its path.
(i) Explain how a compression differs from a rarefaction. [1]

(ii) Explain, in terms of compressions, what is meant by

1. the wavelength of the sound, [1]
2. the frequency of the sound. [1]
 (b) At night, bats emit pulses of sound to detect obstacles and prey. The speed of sound in air is 340
m/s.
(i) A bat emits a pulse of sound of wavelength 0.0085 m. Calculate the frequency of the sound.[2]

(ii) State why this sound cannot be heard by human beings. [1]

(iii) The pulse of sound hits a stationary object and is reflected back to the bat. The pulse is
received by the bat 0.12 s after it was emitted. Calculate the distance travelled by the pulse of
sound during this time. [2]

(i) (a) Two types of seismic waves are produced by earthquakes. They are called P-waves and S-
waves. P- waves are longitudinal and S-waves are transverse. Explain what is meant by the
terms longitudinal and transverse. [2]

(ii)State another example of a longitudinal wave, and a transverse wave. [2]

(iii) A seismic wave has a speed of 7.2 km / s and a frequency of 30 Hz. Calculate its wavelength. [2]

(b) Fig. 5.1 shows an electric bell ringing in a sealed glass chamber containing air. A student
hears the bell ringing. The air is then removed from the chamber. State and explain any change
in the sound heard by the student. [2]
 Worksheet # 17: Sound Mark Scheme
MCQs: 1.C 2.A 3. B 4.C 5.D 6.D

Structured Questions:

10

(iii)

(b)