MECHANICAL

WAVES AND
SOUND WAVES
GROUP 3
SOUND WAVES
• Vibration is motion f r o m o n e place to
another and back again
• S o u n d w a v e s are m a d e b y a vibratory object
in a m e d i u m .
• C o m p re ss i o n i s t h e area of high air pressure
a n d the s a m e time with high molecular density
• Rarefaction this region of lower density and air
pressure
• AUDIBLE SOUND WAVES- s o u n d
w a v e s that the a v e r a g e of h u m a n ear
can hear
• INFRASONIC WAVES-s o u n d w a v e s
with fr eque ncies less than 20 Hz
• ULTRASONIC WAVES-s o u n d w a v e s
with frequencies a b o v e 20 000 Hz
• pi t ch figures a b o u t h o w h i g h a n d l o w w e
perceive the s o u n d w i t h t h e e a r o f a n
auditory
• a s t h e f r e q u e n c y o f t h e s o u n d , t h e pi t ch rises
• a f r e q u e n c y o f t h e w a v e s is a n o b j e c t
quantity can be measured
• pitch refers h o w different f r e q u e n c i e s a r e
perceive by h u m a n
• wavelength decreases as the frequency
increases
• s o u n d w a v e s c a n t r a v e l t h r o u g h solids,
liquid a n d g a s
• sounds waves g o from one place to another
o ff f r o m a source in all directions.
Wave fronts is the disks
represent the points or locations
of compressions . Hence, we are
considering a three-dimensional
phenomenon in two
dimensions; each disk
represents a spherical
area.The lines which are
pe r pe ndi c ul a r to the w a v e
Doppler Effects- changes in pitch brought by the
relative motion of the source on the listener. It
was named after the Austrian physicist Christian
Doppler (1803-1853) who first described it
• Doppler Effect affects the pitch heard by each
listener on the street. The observer in front of
the car hears a higher pitch, while the observer
behind the car hears a lower pitch.
• The rate of e ne rgy that is transferred t h r o u g h a unit area
of the p l a n e w a v e is termed as intensity of the wave.
• S i n c e p o w e r , P, i s d e f i n e d a s t h e r a t e o f
energy transfer, w e can describe intensity in terms of power.
• unit for intensity is watts per s q u a r e meter is (W/m2 )
• energy propagates in an equal a m o u n t in all directions
• the power emitted by the source (P) is distributed over a
spherical surface (area = 4 r2 ),spherical surface (area = 4
r2 ) given that there is no absorption in the medium.
Intensity = P/ 4πr²
Intensity = Power/ 4π (distance from the sou
• unit for intensity is watts per square meter is
(W/m2 )
• energy propagates in an equal amount in all
directions
• the power emitted by the source (P) is distributed
over a spherical surface (area = 4 r2 ),spherical
surface (area = 4 r2 ) given that there is no
absorption in the medium.
Intensity = P/ 4πr²
Intensity = Power/ 4π (distance from the source)²
 Is relevant to small sources of sound
that produce sound equally in all
directions. Given with this condition,
sound travels as a spherical wave. It
extends out uniformly in all
directions and its wave fronts form
the surface of a sphere.From the
intensity of a spherical wave equation,
I=P/4πr². Rearranging this formula
would help you to determine the power
of the sourceP=4πr²I.
 Is relevant to small sources of sound
that produce sound equally in all
directions. Given with this condition,
sound travels as a spherical wave. It
extends out uniformly in all
directions and its wave fronts form
the surface of a sphere.From the
intensity of a spherical wave equation,
I=P/4πr². Rearranging this formula
would help you to determine the power
of the sourceP=4πr²I.
• Table 11.3 shows many doable vibrations on
an idealised string.
• The ends of the strings that have no vibration should always be nodes (N).
antinode (A)- in the middle of the string experiences most of displacement
• The speed of a wave is equal to the frequency times the wavelength,it can be
rearranged
• Harmonic series- are the structured frequencies
• The frequency of vibration is termed the fundamental frequency of the vibratory
string
 Standing Waves on a Vibratory

• Interference happens once two identical waves

(same amplitude and frequency/wavelength) travel
within the same medium however in an opposite
directions.
• Standing waves can be created only in a medium of
finite size like in a rope or spring mounted at each
ends or in a solid rod which has a finite length.
 The Principle Of Superposition

States that once two or a lot

of waves meet at a particular
point, the resultant wave
incorporates a displacement
which is the algebraic total of
the displacements of every
wave.
The figure shows two waves (red and green) that are superposing to
produce the resultant wave (purple). The graph presents only three
points where it tells how the displacement of the resultant wave is
 The Harmonic Series
• The ends of the strings
that have no vibration
should always be nodes
(N).
• The simplest vibration
which will occur, where
the middle of the string
experiences most of
displacement, and so it is
an antinode (A).
 Forced Vibrations and Resonance
The speed of a wave is equal to the frequency times the wavelength, it can be
rearranged,

By substituting the value for wavelength as shown above for frequency, we can tell
that the frequency of the vibration equals to the speed of the wave divided by twice
the string length.

The frequency of vibration is termed the fundamental frequency of the vibratory string.
• The structured frequencies are known as harmonic series.
• Each harmonic is an integral multiple of fundamental frequency, the
equation for the fundamental frequency is generalized to incorporate
the whole harmonic series.
• Therefore, fn = nf1, where f1 is the fundamental frequency (f1 =
v/2L) and fn is the frequency of the nth harmonic. (Note that v in the
speed of waves on the vibratory string and not the speed of the
resultant sound waves in air)
 Timbre

• Timbre – a combination of harmonics that produces the

characteristic sound of an instrument is referred to as the
spectrum of the sound.
 Beat
• Changes of
interference patterns
between loudness and
softness varies or
depends in a way the
listener hear it.
• This variation from
soft to loud and then
back to soft is called
a beat

Out of phase – when two waves are exactly opposite – complete

destructive interference happens. Thus, at t1 no sound is detected. In
phase – after a few more cycles the crest of the blue wave matches up
with the crest of the red wave at t2. By this time, constructive
interference occurs, hearing a loud sound. At t3, no sound is
detected.
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YOU