Chapter 7: SOUND

LECTURE - 1

SOUND AS A WAVE

 A sound is a form of energy that is produced when air molecules vibrate

in a particular pattern called waves. Hence, the sound is a wave.
 Sound needs a medium for its propagation.
 It cannot travel in vacuum.
 Speed of sound is maximum in solids. 5000 m/s in steel, in water 1500
m/s and in air it is least 330 m/s nearly. Thus, sound travels fastest in
solids followed by liquid and gas.
 When a body vibrates, the particles of medium also start vibrating and
kinetic energy (KE) of particles changes into potential energy and
potential energy (PE) into KE. This is why sound in energy.

TYPES OF WAVES

Transverse Waves Longitudinal Waves

1. Transverse wave
 A transverse wave is a wave in which particles move perpendicular to the
direction of the wave propagation. A longitudinal wave is a wave in
which the particles move in a direction parallel to the wave propagation.
 Examples of transverse wave: Waves on a string, stadium or human
wave, the ocean waves.

2. Longitudinal wave
 When the particles of medium move in the direction of motion of wave
by forming compression and rarefaction.
 In a longitudinal wave, the displacement of the particle is parallel to the
direction of the wave propagation. This wave is marked by periodic
compression and rarefaction zones, where the medium expands.
 Examples of longitudinal waves: Sound waves, ultrasonic waves, tsunami
waves etc.
LONGITUDINAL WAVES TRANSVERSE WAVES

PROPAGATION OF SOUND IN AIR (WAVE)

 TERMS RELATED TO A WAVE

Amplitude (a) Time Period Wavelength (ʎ)

(T) Frequency (f)

The maximum
displacement or The time The distance
distance moved by taken by a travelled by the
a point on a particle The number of wave during one
vibrating body or medium to oscillations an complete
wave measured complete one object takes per oscillation. It is
from its oscillation second measured in
equilibrium (mean) (vibration) metres (m).
position.
Relationship between frequency (f) and time period (T)

 Unit of time period is seconds (s) whereas unit of frequency is s -1 or hertz

(Hz).

REPRESENTATION OF A WAVE

Displacement-time graph Displacement-distance graph

Displacement-time graph

Displacement-distance graph
 CHARACTERISTICS OF SOUND

QUALITY
LOUDNESS PITCH (TIMBRE OR
(SHRILNESS) WAVE FORM)

RELATED QUESTIONS

1. Write true or false for each statement

a. When sound propagates in air, it does not carry energy with it.
b. In longitudinal wave, compression and rarefaction are formed.
c. The distance from one compression to nearest rarefaction is called
wavelength.
d. The frequency is measured in seconds.

2. Fill in the blanks

a. The time period of a wave is 2 s. Its frequency is ……………….
b. Greater the time period, …………… will be the frequency.
c. Frequency of a wave is measured in …………….
3. Select the correct alternative
a. Sound cannot travel in:
i. Solid
ii. Liquid
iii. Gas
iv. Vacuum
b. When sound travels in form of a wave:
i. The particles of medium move from source to the listener.
ii. The particles of medium remain stationary.
iii. The particles of medium start vibrating up and down.
iv. The particles of medium transfer energy without leaving their mean
positions.

4. Long/short answer questions

a. How does sound travel in air?
b. What is a longitudinal wave?
c. Explain the mechanism of formation of a longitudinal wave when
source vibrates in air.
d. Define the following terms:
i. Amplitude
ii. Frequency
iii. Time period
e. Obtain a relationship between the time period and frequency.

LECTURE - 2

A.LOUDNESS
 Loudness refers to how large the amplitude of the sound wave is.
 If we strike the drum gently, a faint sound is heard. But if we strike it
hard, a loud sound is heard.
 Loudness is often used synonymously with intensity.

FACTORS AFFECTING LOUDNESS OF SOUND

Surface area of the

Amplitude of vibrating body
wave
Distance of source of Senstivity of the
sound listener

1. Relationship of loudness with amplitude of wave

 Greater the amplitude, greater is the loudness.
 Loudness α (amplitude)2
 Loudness α a2
 Thus, loudness is directly proportional to the square of the amplitude.
 2. Relationship of loudness with distance from the sound
 Greater the distance of the listener from the source of sound, lower will
be the loudness.
1
 Loudness α
𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑

3. Relationship of loudness with the surface area of the vibrating

body
 Greater the surface area, louder the sound.

4. Relationship of loudness with the sensitivity of the listener

 Loudness also depends on the sensitivity of the listener as the same sound
may not be perceived exactly same by everyone.
Unit of loudness & noise
 Unit of loudness – decibel (dB).
 Safe limit of sound is from 0 to 80 dB (audible range for humans).
 Thus, noise can be defined as any sound level of more than 80 dB.

RELATED QUESTIONS
1. Write true or false for each statement
a. Decibel is the unit of pitch of a sound.
b. Increase in the amplitude of wave leads to decrease in the loudness of
sound.

2. Fill in the blanks

a. If a drum is beaten hard, its loudness …………..
b. A sound having level of more than 80 dB is called ……………

3. Select the correct alternative

a. The safe limit of loudness of audible sound is:
i. 0 to 80 dB
ii. Above 80 dB
iii. 120 dB
iv. Abobe 120 dB
b. The unit of loudness is:
i. cm
ii. second
iii. hertz
iv. decibel

4. Long/short answer questions

a. Name the three characteristics of a musical sound.
b. Which of the following determines the loudness of a sound wave?
i. Wavelength
ii. Frequency
iii. Amplitude
c. How is loudness related to the amplitude of a wave?
d. If the amplitude of a wave is doubled, what will be the effect on its
loudness?
e. Name the unit in which the loudness of sound is expressed.
f. Why is the loudness of sound heard by a plucked wire increased when
mounted on a sound board?
g. State three factors on which loudness of sound heard by a listener
depends.
 LECTURE – 3

B. PITCH

 It is the characteristic of sound that differentiates an acute or shrill sound

from a flat sound.
 It is the characteristic of sound related to its frequency
 It depends on number of vibrations per second or frequency: more
frequency is high pitch shrilled sound and low frequency is flat sound.

Ways of changing the pitch in different musical instruments

1. In stringed instruments
 Instruments like piano, guitar, sitar etc. have different thickness of strings
with different tensions.
 Shorter strings have higher frequency and therefore higher pitch.
 The pitch of sound produced by a string instrument also depends on the
place where it is plucked, if plucked closer to the fixed end, higher is the
pitch.
2. In wind instruments
 In instruments like flute, shehnai, trumpet etc., lower note is obtained by
closing more holes so that length of vibrating air column increases, thus
decreasing the pitch of sound.

3. In membrane instruments
 In instruments like table, drum, dholak etc., the sound produced depends
on size and tension of the membrane.
 Tighter and smaller the membrane, higher the pitch of the sound.
MONOTONE
 It is the sound that has a single frequency.
 A monotonous sound can be produced by tuning fork.
 Different tuning forks may have different frequencies.

C. QUALITY (TIMBRE OR WAVE FORM

 It is the characteristic of sound that enables us to distinguish one sound

from another having the same pitch and loudness.
 The sound which is more pleasant is said to be of a rich quality.
 For example, one can distinguish a person on a phone call just by hearing
their voice because every person has a quality in his/her voice which is
unique and different from any other person.
 RELATED QUESTIONS

1. Write true or false for each statement

a. The quality of sound depends on the amplitude of wave.
b. The pitch of sound depends on frequency.

2. Fill in the blanks

a. The pitch of a stringed instrument is increased by ……………..
tension in string.
b. The pitch of a flute is decreased by …………… length of air column.
c. Smaller the membrane, …………….. is the pitch.
d. A tuning fork produces sound of ……………. Frequency.

3. Match the following

Column A Column B
a. Amplitude (i) frequency
b. Frequency (ii) amplitude
c. Loudness (iii) maximum displacement on either side
d. Pitch (iv) 1/time period
 4. Select the correct alternative
a. In a piano, pitch is decreased by:
i. Using thicker string
ii. Increasing tension
iii. Reducing length of string
iv. Striking it hard

Long/short answer questions

a. How does the wave pattern of a loud note differ from a softer note? Draw
a diagram.
b. What determines the pitch of sound?
c. Name the characteristic of sound related to its frequency.
d. Name and define the characteristic which enables one to distinguish two
sounds of same loudness, but of different frequencies, given by the same
instrument.
e. Draw a diagram to show the wave pattern of a high pitch note and a low
pitch note, but of the same loudness.
f. Standing at a distance, how is it possible to detect the filling of a bucket
under a water tap by hearing the sound?
g. The frequencies of notes given by flute, guitar and trumpet are
respectively 400 Hz, 200 Hz and 500 Hz. Which one of these has the
highest pitch?
h. Figure below shows two jars A and B containing water up to different
heights. Which will produce sound of higher pitch when air is blown on
them?

i. Two identical guitars are played by two persons to give notes of the same
pitch. Will they differ in quantity? Give reason for your answer.
j. Two musical notes of the same pitch and same loudness are played on
two different instruments. Their wave patterns are as shown in figure.
 k. How do they differ in (a) loudness, (b) pitch and (c) quality
l. Which characteristics of sound makes it possible to recognize a person by
his voice without seeing him?
m. State the factors that determine (a) the pitch of a note. (b) the loudness of
the sound heard. (c) the quality of the note.
n. Name the characteristic of the sound affected due to a change in its (a)
amplitude (b) wave form (c) frequency.
o. Figure shows four waves A, B, C, and D.

Name the wave which shows (a)a note from a musical instrument, (b)a soft
note (c) a shrill note.
p. How is the pitch of sound in a guitar changed if (a) thin wire is used, (b)
wire under less tension is used?
Numericals
a. Two waves of the same pitch have amplitudes in the ratio 1: 3 What
will be the ratio of their (i) loudness, (ii) pitch?
b. Two waves have frequencies 256 Hz and 512 Hz, but same amplitude.
Compare their (i) loudness, and (ii) pitch;
c. Two waves have the same pitch but their amplitudes are in the ratio
of 1:2. Draw a figure to show the two waves.
d. Two waves of the same amplitude have frequencies 256Hz and 512Hz
respectively. Represent the two waves in the graphical form.