7Ld USING SOUND

HOW DO HUMANS AND ANIMALS USE SOUND?

We make use of sound in many different ways,

including for communication. Sometimes
the sound waves are converted to electrical
signals and then back to sound waves, such
as when we use a telephone. Animals also
use sound to transfer information, such as
warning calls.

1 Write down three ways in which you

have used sound to communicate
today.
A | The air sacs on this frog help it to make its mating calls
2 Write down three different types louder.
of communication made by animal
sounds.
sound
B waves reflected

Transferring
energy
material
Sound waves transfer energy from one place to absorbed
another. The energy transferred by sound waves
is transmitted through some materials, or it can
be absorbed or reflected. transmitted

The energy transferred by high frequency sound

waves can be used to treat injuries. It can also be C | Ultrasound being used by a physiotherapist to relieve pain in
used to clean delicate objects such as jewellery or a sprained wrist. One of the ways it works is to soften scar tissue.
surgical instruments. The object being cleaned is
put into a liquid. Ultrasound waves sent through
the liquid make lots of tiny bubbles in the liquid,
which help to loosen the dirt when they burst.

3 Energy transferred by ultrasound is used to

clean a watch. What does the energy do?

192
M12_ESWS_7_9601_U7L.indd 192 18/03/2014 14:29
 Using echoes
A reflected sound is called an echo. Animals
such as dolphins and bats use echolocation D | Some species of
to find their way around and to find their prey. bat use echolocation
sound waves from bat to detect prey such
These animals produce bursts of ultrasound as insects.
and listen for the sound waves reflected by returning sound waves
objects or prey. They can detect how far away
the object is from the time it takes for the echo to return
and they can also sense the direction of the object. Some blind humans have learned to
use echolocation to help them to find
Bats use echolocation to help them to find food at night,
their way about and avoid bumping
when there is not enough light to see. Dolphins and some into things. They make clicks with their
other sea creatures use echolocation because sound travels mouths and listen for the echoes.
through water much better than light. Humans also use a
form of echolocation called sonar to find fish in the sea and
to investigate the depth of the sea.

Title: Anotomical 3D KS3 Science uJ

Client: KJA Font: Arial reg. 11/13pt
Date: 04 Nov 2013 Rev:
Fig: 7Ld/SS/FigD By: S.Tegg

1. pulse of 2. ultrasound 3. ultrasound

ultrasound reflected by detected by
from sonar the sea bed sonar equipment

E | Humans use sonar to find fish in the sea and to

investigate the depth of the sea. Warships can use
it for finding enemy submarines.

4 Each bat can produce different frequencies of ultrasound.

Explain why this is useful if there are many bats hunting
together.
F | Lucas Murray is blind and uses
5 The ship in diagram E detects two echoes from a sonar 3D KS3 Science uJ
Title: Anotomical
clicks to help him to play basketball as
pulse, one 0.05 seconds after the other. Explain
Client: what
KJA has Font: Arial reg. 11/13pt
well as to find his way around.
caused these two echoes and what information
Date: 04 the sonar
Nov 2013 Rev: 28 Nov 2013
equipment can work out from them. Fig: 7Ld/SS/FigF By: S.Tegg

6 Tiger moths do not use echolocation but they can detect

and produce ultrasounds.
a| Suggest how this helps them to survive. I can …
b| How could you check whether or not tiger moths do ■ describe some uses of ultrasound
detect and produce ultrasounds?
■ explain how sonar and echolocation work.

193
M12_ESWS_7_9601_U7L.indd 193 18/03/2014 14:29