MODULE 3 – SOUND
Properties of Sound
Sound – produced though vibration of molecules that travels through a
medium
 Sound waves are examples of longitudinal waves
 Sound waves are mechanical waves because they need a medium
to propagate
 Can travel in air, solids and liquids
 It is more distinct in solids than in air
 Sound travels fastest in solids and slowest in gases
 Sound cannot travel in a vacuum
Factors Affecting The Speed of Sound
1. Atmospheric Pressure
 Sound travels faster in a less dense substance
2. Relative humidity
 During humid days, air density is high, sound travels slowly
 On a dry day lesser humidity, sound travels faster
 Sound travels slower in humid air than in dry air
3. Atmospheric temperature
 sound travels faster in hot air
 hot particles of air gain more kinetic energy, increase in
mean velocity
Characteristics of Sound
1. speed – distance travelled per unit time
2. frequency – speed of the vibration; determines the pitch
3. wavelength- distance between waves
4. amplitude – fluctuation or displacement from its mean value
5. phase – specifies the location of a point within a wave cycle
6. period – time taken for one complete cycle of vibration to pass
a given point
1. Pitch – highness and lowness
 the pitch of a high frequency sound is high
 the pitch of a low frequency is low
Intensity - amount of energy a sound wave carries
 high amplitude sound carries large energy and have
higher intensity
 low amplitude sound carry lesser amount of energy
and have lower intensity
 measured by oscilloscope
2. Loudness – softness and intensity of sound
 psychological sensation
 subjective
 varies nearly logarithmic with intensity
 measured in decibel (dB) named after Alexander Graham
Bell
4. Reflection – leads to echo and reverberation
5. Refraction – change in the direction as they pass from one
medium to another
6. interference
7. diffraction – change in direction as the pass through an opening
Music – special sound that forms patterns
 appealing to the sense of hearing
Noise – distorted sound which is not pleasing to the senses
  the oscillations are transferred to the inner ear through
the oval window
SOUND LEVELS OF DIFFERENT SOUND SOURCES B. Middle ear
Sources of Sound Level (dB)
Jet engine 140 C. Cochlea – inner ear
Threshold of pain 120 - snail-shell shaped liquid-filled
Amplified rock music 115
Old subway train 100  the large amplitude oscillations create waves that travel in
Average factory 90 liquid which are converted into electrical impulses and sent
Busy street traffic 70 to the brain and being interpreted as words, music or noise
Normal conversation 60
Library 40
Close whisper 20
Normal breathing 10
Threshold of hearing 0

The Human Ear

Ear- part of the peripheral auditory system

Major Parts of the Human Ear

A. Pinna – outer ear
- collects the sound waves and focusses them into the ear
canal and then transmits the sound waves to the ear drum

Tympanum – ear drum

- separates the outer ear and the middle ear physically
 air vibrations set the eardrum membrane in motion that
causes the three smallest bones (hammer, anvil and
stirrup) to move
 the three bones convert the small-amplitude vibration of
the eardrum into large-amplitude oscillations