Untitled Document 3
Untitled Document 3
sound. It talks about what sound is, how it is made and how it travels. Some important questions
to study include the main features of sound, like pitch (how high or low a sound is), loudness
(how loud or soft a sound is) and timbre (the quality of the sound).
You should also know how sound moves through different materials, like air, water, and solids
and how fast it goes in each. Understanding echoes (the sound that bounces back to you) and
how sound can be reflected and refracted (bent) is important too.
By practicing these questions students can improve their understanding and problem-solving
skills.
By practicing these questions, students can strengthen their understanding of the chapter,
improve their problem-solving skills, and ensure they are well-prepared for their exams. These
solutions provide clear and easy explanations, helping students grasp the fundamental ideas
with ease.
By accessing the Important Questions Class 9 Science Chapter 11 PDF students can solve
variety of questions that are created to reinforce their knowledge, sharpen their problem-solving
skills and prepare them thoroughly for their exams. This resource is especially beneficial for
those seeking clear explanations and targeted practice in mastering the concepts related to
sound.
Q.1. Guess which sound has a higher pitch: guitar or car horn?
Ans: The guitar has a higher pitch than the car horn because it produces sound at a higher
frequency.
Q.2. In which of the three media, air, water, or iron, does sound travel the fastest at a
particular temperature?
Ans: Sound travels fastest in solids, particularly in iron, compared to water and air.
Q.4. Which characteristic of sound helps you identify your friend by their voice while
sitting with others in a dark room?
Ans: Timbre helps identify a friend's voice because it differentiates the quality of sound.
Q.5. What are the typical wavelengths of sound waves in air corresponding to
frequencies of 20 Hz and 20 kHz?
Ans:
Q.6. Find the ratio of times taken by the sound wave in air and in aluminum to reach the
second child if two children are at opposite ends of an aluminum rod.
Ans: The sound will take 18.66 times more time to travel through air than through aluminum.
Q.7. The frequency of a source of sound is 100 Hz. How many times does it vibrate in a
minute?
Q.8. Does sound follow the same laws of reflection as light does? Explain.
Ans: Yes, sound follows the same laws of reflection as light; the angles of incidence and
reflection are equal.
Q.9. When a sound is reflected from a distant object, do you hear the echo sound on a
hotter day?
Ans: Yes, on a hotter day, the speed of sound increases, which may cause multiple reflections,
but distinct echoes can be heard if the distance is appropriate.
Stethoscope: It allows doctors to listen to internal body sounds through multiple reflections.
Q.11. A stone is dropped from the top of a tower 500 m high into a pond of water at the
base of the tower. When is the splash heard at the top?
Ans: The splash is heard at the top after approximately 11.47 seconds.
Q.12. A sound wave travels at a speed of 339 m/s. If its wavelength is 1.5 cm, what is the
frequency of the wave? Will it be audible?
Ans: The frequency is 22,600 Hz, which is not audible to humans as it exceeds the audible
range.
Ans: Reverberation is the persistence of sound due to repeated reflections. It can be reduced
by using sound-absorbent materials on walls and ceilings.
Q.14. What is the loudness of sound? What factors does it depend on?
Ans: Loudness is how loud or soft a sound seems. It depends on the intensity of sound waves,
which is affected by amplitude and distance from the sound source.
Ans: Bats emit ultrasonic waves that reflect off prey, allowing them to determine the distance
and location of the prey.
Ans: Ultrasound waves are passed through a cleaning solution, creating agitation that helps
remove dirt from objects.
Ans: SONAR uses ultrasonic waves to detect objects underwater by measuring the time taken
for the echo to return, used for navigation and medical imaging.
Q.18. A sonar device on a submarine sends out a signal and receives an echo 5 s later.
Calculate the speed of sound in water if the distance of the object from the submarine is
3625 m.
Q.19. Explain how defects in a metal block can be detected using ultrasound.
Ans: Ultrasound waves are reflected back by defects in the metal block, indicating their
presence.
Ans: Sound waves enter the ear canal, vibrate the eardrum, and these vibrations are
transmitted to the cochlea, where they are converted into neural signals sent to the brain.
Ans: The sound of the bell is produced by its vibrations when struck. These vibrations cause
the surrounding air molecules to vibrate, creating compressions and rarefactions that travel
through the air as sound waves. The vibrating bell disturbs air particles, causing them to move
back and forth, which generates the sound we hear.
Ans: Sound waves are called mechanical waves because they require a medium (solid, liquid,
or gas) to propagate. Unlike electromagnetic waves, sound waves cannot travel through a
vacuum. They need particles in a medium to transmit the energy, similar to other mechanical
waves.
Q.22. Suppose you and your friend are on the moon. Will you be able to hear any sound
produced by your friend?
Ans: No, you cannot hear sound on the moon because sound waves require a medium to travel
through, and the moon has no atmosphere. The vacuum of space lacks the air necessary for
sound wave propagation, making it impossible to hear any sound.
(a) Loudness?
Ans: Loudness is determined by the amplitude of the sound wave. Higher amplitude results in a
louder sound, which is measured in decibels (dB).
(b) Pitch?
Ans: Pitch is determined by the frequency of the sound wave. Higher frequencies produce
higher pitches, while lower frequencies result in lower pitches.
Short Answer Questions 2 Marks
Ans:
Loudness: It is the subjective perception of sound intensity by the ear and is measured in
decibels (dB). It is influenced by the ear's sensitivity.
Intensity: It is the physical quantity of sound energy per unit area, measured in watts per
square meter (W/m²). Intensity is independent of the ear's ability to hear and is determined by
the energy of the sound wave.
Ans: Sound is a type of energy produced by vibrations that cause oscillations in a medium,
which can be a gas, solid, or liquid. These vibrations create waves that propagate through the
medium, allowing sound to be transmitted.
Q.3. Describe with the help of a diagram, how compressions and rarefactions are
produced in air near a source of sound.
Ans:
Compressions occur when air molecules are pushed together, creating areas of higher
pressure.
Rarefactions occur when air molecules are spread apart, creating areas of lower pressure.
Ans: A sound wave is called a longitudinal wave because the particles of the medium vibrate
parallel to the direction of the wave's propagation. This means that the compressions and
rarefactions move in the same direction as the wave travels.
Ans:
Particle Movement Particles move parallel to the Particles move perpendicular to the
wave direction. wave direction.
Ans:
(a) Wavelength
Ans: Wavelength is the distance between two successive crests or troughs of a wave. It
indicates the length of one complete wave cycle and is measured in meters. The direction of the
wavelength is the same as the direction of the wave propagation.
(b) Frequency
Ans: Frequency is defined as the number of waves that pass a fixed point in a given amount of
time. It is measured in Hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz is equal to one wave passing per second.
Ans: An echo is the reflection of sound waves that produces a repetition of sound. It occurs
when sound waves bounce off a surface and return to the listener, creating a lasting or
far-reaching effect.
Applications of Echo:
1. Medical Field: Echo uses sound waves to create images of the heart's chambers,
valves, and blood vessels (e.g., echocardiography).
2. SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging): Used in underwater navigation and
detecting flaws in metal objects.
Ans: Sound waves are called mechanical waves because they require a medium (solid, liquid,
or gas) to propagate. Sound cannot travel through a vacuum, as it relies on the oscillation of
matter (particles of the medium) to transmit energy.
● Loud Sound: A sound is considered loud when it has a high amplitude, meaning the
pressure variation is significant, resulting in a stronger sound that can be easily heard
from a distance.
● Soft Sound: A soft sound has a low amplitude, indicating that the pressure variation is
minimal, resulting in a quieter sound that may be difficult to hear over background noise.
Ans:
● Low-Pitched Sound: Low-pitched sounds are associated with slower oscillations and
lower frequencies. These sounds are deep and resonate with a lower tone, such as a
bass guitar or a drum.
● High-Pitched Sound: High-pitched sounds have higher frequencies and complete a
large number of vibrations in a given time. They are sharp and clear, like a whistle or a
flute. A frequency of around 3000 Hz is considered high-pitched.
Q.11. How does the sound produced by a vibrating object in a medium reach your ear?
Ans: Sound waves produced by a vibrating object travel through a medium (like air) as
compressions and rarefactions. These waves enter the outer ear and pass through the ear
canal to the eardrum. When the sound waves strike the eardrum, it vibrates, allowing the sound
to be heard.
Q.12. What are the wavelength, frequency, time period, and amplitude of a sound wave?
Ans:
● Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive identical points of the wave, such
as crests or troughs.
● Frequency is the number of vibrations or oscillations per second, indicating how quickly
the oscillations occur.
● Time period is the time taken to complete one vibration or oscillation, measured in
seconds.
● Amplitude is the maximum displacement of particles from their rest position, indicating
the energy of the sound wave.
Q.13. Cite an experiment to show that sound needs a material medium for its
propagation.
Ans:
The Bell-jar experiment demonstrates that sound requires a medium for propagation. An electric
bell is suspended inside an airtight bell jar connected to a vacuum pump. When the pump
removes air from the jar, the sound of the bell gradually becomes fainter until it is inaudible in a
complete vacuum, showing that sound cannot travel without a medium.
Benefits of Important Questions Class 9 Science Chapter
11
Effective Exam Preparation: Practicing important questions is a important part of exam
preparation. It familiarizes students with the exam format and the types of questions they may
encounter, allowing them to approach the exam with confidence.
Identification of Weak Areas: Working through important questions helps students identify
topics they find challenging. Recognizing these weak areas allows them to concentrate their
study efforts where needed, leading to improved performance.
Time Management Skills: Practicing important questions can improve students time
management skills during exams.