THE SCIENCE OF SOUND

Learning Outline:
1. The nature of sound 5. The human Voice
2. Velocity of Sound 6.The human ear
3. Wave Properties of sound 7. The physics of hearing
4. Characteristics of sound 8. Noise Pollution
WHAT IS SOUND
A sound is a vibration that propagates through a
medium in the form of a mechanical wave. The
medium in which it propagates can either be a solid,
a liquid or a gas. Sound travels fastest in solids,
relatively slower in liquids and slowest in gases.
 WHAT IS A SOUNDWAVE?
Sound waves are disturbances caused by energy traveling from a sound
source.
They are longitudinal waves, meaning particle vibration is parallel to the
wave direction.
Vibrating atoms move back and forth, creating high-pressure
(compressions) and low-pressure (rarefactions) regions.
These pressure regions move through the medium, allowing sound waves
to travel from one medium to another.
The sound produced by a guitar is different from the
sound produced by a drum. This is because the
sound produced by different sources have different
characteristics.

Sound can be characterized by its frequency,

wavelength, and amplitude.
FREQUENCY OF SOUND
The number of rarefactions and compressions that
occur per unit time is known as the frequency of a
sound wave. The formula of the frequency of a wave
is given as:
f = 1/T
Where,
f is the frequency of a sound wave and
T is the time period
WAVELENGTH OF SOUND
The distance between the successive compression and
rarefaction is known as the wavelength of a sound
wave. The wavelength of the sound formula is given as
follows:

Where, f is the frequency of the sound wave and v is

the velocity of the sound wave
AMPLITUDE OF SOUND
Amplitude of a sound wave is the maximum
disturbance, representing energy.
Higher amplitude means higher energy in the
sound wave.
Humans hear frequencies between 20 Hz and
20,000 Hz.
Ideal conditions allow detection of frequencies
from 12 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
 SPEED OF SOUND
- Speed of sound: rate of sound wave propagation in a
medium.
- Varies among different media.
- Fastest in solids due to highly compressed atoms.
- Interaction between atoms affects speed: closer atoms,
quicker energy transfer.
- Solid particles have high interaction, leading to faster sound
speed compared to liquids and gases.
SPEED OF SOUND
The formula used to calculate the speed of sound is given as:

Where,
d is the distance traveled by sound
t is the time taken to cover the distance.
SPEED OF SOUND
The table below lists the speed of sound in different media.
 FACTORS AFFECTING WAVE SPEED
Elastic properties are those properties related to the
tendency of a material to maintain its shape and not deform
whenever a force or stress is applied to it. A material such as
steel will experience a very small deformation of shape (and
dimension) when a stress is applied to it. Steel is a rigid
material with a
elasticity.
 FACTORS AFFECTING WAVE SPEED

Inertial property. The greater the inertia (i.e., mass density) of

individual particles of the medium, the less responsive they
will be to the interactions between neighboring particles and
the slower that the wave will be.
 THE SPEED OF SOUND IN AIR

The speed of a sound wave in air depends upon the

properties of the air, mostly the temperature, and to a lesser
degree, the humidity. Humidity is the result of water vapor
being present in air.
THE SPEED OF SOUND IN AIR
v = 331 m/s + (0.6 m/s/C)•T
where T is the temperature of the air in degrees Celsius. Using this
equation to determine the speed of a sound wave in air at a temperature
of 20 degrees Celsius yields the following solution.

v = 331 m/s + (0.6 m/s/C)•T

v = 331 m/s + (0.6 m/s/C)•(20 C)

v = 331 m/s + 12 m/s

v = 343 m/s
REFLECTION
- occurs when soundwaves bounce back from the
surface of a solid, liquid or gas. Many fascinating
phenomena, such as echo and reverberation, are
caused by sound reflection. The reflection of sound,
like the reflection of light, obeys laws. When a sound
hits a hard surface, it bounces back to its source.
REFLECTION
Example, when a
SONAR (Sound
Navigation and
Ranging) emits
sound to detect
sound or measure
the depth of sea
REFLECTION
To measure the reflected ray of the sound wave emitted by a SONAR ship; we
relate it from the formula for the speed of sound but we need to calculate the
total distance travelled by the soundwave from the incident ray and reflected
ray:

v = speed of wave
2d = The distance travelled back to its source
t = time
SAMPLE PROBLEMS:
1. A sound wave travels 15 meters to a wall and returns to its source in 0.05
seconds. Calculate the speed of the sound wave.

2. A sound wave travels at a speed of 340 m/s. It takes 0.1 seconds for the
sound wave to travel to a smooth, rigid wall and return to its source. Calculate
the distance traveled by the sound wave.

3. A sound wave travels in air from a source to a large, reflective surface

located 15 meters away. Calculate the time it takes for the sound wave to
make the round trip.
LAW OF REFLECTION
Angle of Incident ray (i) = Angle of reflected ray (r)
REFRACTION
Sound waves change direction passing from one
medium to another with different densities.
Causes bending of sound waves, leading to
perceived direction distortions.
Commonly experienced in air layers with varying
temperatures, like on hot days near the ground.
 REFRACTION

This change in direction occurs due to the difference in speed of the waves in each
medium, causing them to bend towards or away from the normal line. Refraction can
be observed in various situations, such as when light passes through water or when
sound waves travel through different layers of air with varying temperatures.
DIFFRACTION
The bending and spreading of sound waves around obstacles or through
narrow openings.
INTERFERENCE
The interference of sound occurs when two or more
sound waves meet and combine, resulting in a new
wave pattern. This phenomenon can lead to various
effects depending on the phase relationship
between the interacting waves.
TYPES OF SOUND INTERFERENCE
CONSTRUCTIVE DESTRUCTIVE

Occurs when overlapping Occurs when overlapping

sound waves combine to sound waves combine to
produce a louder sound produce a quieter sound
(increased amplitude) (decreased amplitude).
TYPES OF SOUND INTERFERENCE
 A beat is an interference pattern between
WHAT IS A BEAT? two sound waves of slightly different
frequencies.
WHEN DOES BEATS OCCUR?
Beats occur when two waves of nearby
frequencies overlap and create a new resultant
wave.
WHAT IS BEAT FREQUENCY?
When two sound waves with different
frequencies come across each other; then,
their amplitude gets added and subtracted
alternatively for a given time period.
FORMULA FOR BEAT FREQUENCY
To get the beat frequency, subtract the frequency of one sound
wave from the frequency of the other sound wave. The formula is:

fB = | f1– f 2 |
where the f1 and f2 are the frequencies of the two sound waves.
SAMPLE PROBLEMS
1. What is the beat frequency produced by two sound waves resonating at
425Hz and 436hz?

2. A sound wave at a frequency of 360Hz produces 32 beats in 4 seconds

when interacting with a vibrating tuning fork. (a) what is the beat frequency (b)
what are the two possible frequencies of the vibrating tuning fork?

3. A tuning fork produces a beat frequency of 5Hz with a 415Hz sound wave.
Wheb placed near a sound wave oscillating at 426 Hz, a beat frequency of 6
Hz is generated. What is the frequency of the tuning fork?
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOUND

The sound that we hear around us is the

type of energy made by the vibration that
travels through the air or any other medium
and can be heard when it reaches a person’s
ear.
CHRACTERISTICS OF SOUND
PITCH

is a characteristic of sound by which a correct

note can be distinguished from a grave or a
shrill sound.
Pitch depends upon the frequencies of the
sound wave.
The pitch of a sound is our ear’s response to
the frequency of sound.
HIGH PITCHED NOTE LOW PITCHED NOTE
CHRACTERISTICS OF SOUND
LOUDNESS

depends on the amplitude of the vibration

As the amplitude of vibration increases,
sound also increases.
loudness depends on the energy of the
wave
QUITER SOUND LOUDER SOUND
CHRACTERISTICS OF SOUND
QUALITY

The word "timbre" also refers to the quality of sound.

Timbre helps us distinguish between different sound
sources.
Different instruments have various shapes and sizes,
producing distinct harmonics and loudness levels.
This variability in harmonics allows us to easily
distinguish the sounds of different instruments.
THE HUMAN VOICE
Human voice is defined as the sound or sounds
uttered through the mouth of living creatures,
especially of human beings in speaking, shouting,
singing, etc.
It is the faculty or power of uttering sounds
through the mouth by the controlled expulsion of
air
HOW DOES HUMAN VOICE WORK?
WHY IS THE HUMAN VOICE IMPORTANT?
WHY IS THE HUMAN VOICE IMPORTANT?

COMMUNICATION
WHY IS THE HUMAN VOICE IMPORTANT?

COMMUNICATION EXPRESSION
WHY IS THE HUMAN VOICE IMPORTANT?

COMMUNICATION EXPRESSION ART

HOW DOES THE HUMAN BODY PRODUCE VOICE
AND SPEECH?
THE HUMAN EAR
The ear is a remarkable organ responsible for
both hearing and maintaining balance.
The ear transforms sound vibrations in the
external environment into nerve impulses that are
conveyed to the brain, where they are interpreted
as sounds.
This process allows us to perceive and distinguish
sounds, making it possible for us to communicate
and interact with our environment
Process how human ear operates and perceives sound
THE PHYSICS OF HEARING
The majority of interesting sounds are made up of
intricate, time-varying mixes of tones with different
frequencies and amplitudes.
THE PHYSICS OF HEARING
The cochlea is a highly nonlinear, adaptive, real-time spectral
analyzer used by the ear to identify and process sound signals.
The eardrum and three tiny bones in the middle ear (ossicles)
vibrate in response to sound. The last bone acts as a piston,
initiating oscillatory pressure changes in the liquid-filled chambers
of the cochlea.
These pressure changes cause the basilar membrane, an elastic
band spiraling along the cochlea between two chambers, to
conduct a traveling wave that is largely frequency-independent.
THE PHYSICS OF HEARING
Each traveling wave increases in magnitude and decreases in
wavelength until it peaks at a specific, frequency-dependent
position due to the basilar membrane's varying mass and stiffness.
Low frequencies propagate to the apex of the cochlea, while high
frequencies peak at the base.
Hair cells, the mechanically sensitive organelles of the ear's
sensory receptors, are deflected by the oscillations of the basilar
membrane.
 NOISE POLLUTION
The threat posed by noise pollution is unseen. Even though
it is invisible, it exists both below the surface of the ocean
and on land. Any undesired or upsetting sound that has an
impact on people's health or the health and wellbeing of
other living things is regarded as noise pollution.
NOISE POLLUTION
Sound is measured in decibels. Environmental sounds range from rustling
leaves (20 to 30 decibels) to a thunderclap (120 decibels) and the wail of a
siren (120 to 140 decibels).
Increasing noise affects both land and marine animals. Ships, oil drills, sonar
devices, and seismic tests have turned the once quiet ocean environment into
a loud and chaotic place, particularly impacting whales and dolphins.
Noise pollution affects millions of people daily, with the most common health
issue being Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Loud noise exposure can also
lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disturbances, and stress,
impacting all age groups, especially children.