SOUND c

A Brief Recap
• Sound is a form of _________that produces the sensation of hearing in our ears.
• A _________body is a source of sound.
• Sound propagation requires a ___________ for propagation.
• Mechanical waves are of two types: __________ and __________. Sound waves are __________ waves,
comprising of _________ and _________.
 • The maximum displacement of a vibrating particle of a medium on either side of its mean position is called as
________.
• The time taken by a particle of a medium to complete one vibration is called as the __________.
• The no. of vibrations completed by a vibrating body in one second is known as its _____. The S.I unit is
_______
• The distance travelled by a wave in one time period of vibration, of a particle of a medium is called as
_______. The S.I unit is ________.
• The distance travelled by a wave in one second is called as ________. The S. I unit is _______.

A Brief Recap
• Range of audibility- Human ears are sensitive only
to a limited range of frequencies (from_______). •
Sound above 20,000 Hz is called as _______. •
Longitudinal waves Transverse waves
If the vibrations of the medium are along If the vibrations of the medium are
the direction of propagation, thus normal to the direction of propagation,
forming compressions and rarefactions forming crest and troughs, the wave is
in the medium, the wave is called a called a longitudinal wave.
longitudinal wave.
They can travel in air, in solids and inside They can travel only in solids and on
a liquid. the surface of a liquid.

Light waves Sound waves

These are These are mechanical wave.
electromagnetic wave.

They do not require material They require a material

medium for their medium for their
propagation; therefore they propagation; and hence they
can travel in vacuum. cannot travel in vacuum.

These waves are These are longitudinal waves

transverse waves. in air.

The wavelength of visible The wavelength of audible

light waves is of the order of sound waves is of the order
10-6 m. of 10-2 m to 10m.
 The speed of light wave is The speed of sound wave
very high ( = 3 x 108 ms-1in is low. ( = 330 ms-1in air.)
air.)

Reflection of sound
• The returning back of sound wave on striking
a surface which is bigger in size than the
wavelength of sound wave in the same
medium.
 Echo
• The sound heard after reflection from a distant object after the original
sound has ceased.
• An echo is heard only if the distance between the person producing
sound and rigid obstacle (or reflector) is large enough to allow the
reflected sound to reach the person at least 0.1 sec after the original
sound is heard.

• Condition for formation of echo:

 1. The minimum distance between the source of sound or observer and
the reflector in air must be 17 m. It is different in different medium
depending upon the speed of sound.
2. The size of the reflector must be large enough as compared to the
wavelength of the sound wave.
To hear echo distinctly, the reflecting surface in air should be
at a minimum distance of 17m from the listener.

•
Reverberation
When series of reflections of sound fall on the ear
from various reflectors one after another in a close
space, thereby prolonging the effect of sound.
Eg
Bats, dolphins emit waves for sound Medical use
Application of echo ranging and echo
and ultrasonic depth sounding:
waves.

Use of Ultrasonic SONAR- the principle

ultrasonic vibrations. submarine, iceberg, a be found using sonar. the presence of an
These vibrations on sunken ship etc. its Radar- Radio detection obstacle and finding its
striking the prey are distance from the and ranging, a signal of range.
reflected back in the source can be electromagnetic waves
calculated by measuring such as radio or micro Ultrasonography: for
form of echo. When
the time interval wave is sent in space imaging the human
bat receives the echo it between the instant which after reflection organs like liver, gall
can determine the when waves are from the object in its bladder, uterus,
direction and distance produced and the path, returns to the womb, etc.
of the prey instant when waves are radar itself. Thus like
received after reflection sonar, the echo method Echo-cardiography:
used is echo. If there is from the obstacle. The to obtain the image
some obstacle such as is used in radar to detect
depth of the sea can also of human heart.

Characteristics of Sound
• Loudness
• Pitch or shrillness
• Quality or timbre
Loudness
• Loudness is the characteristic by the virtue of which
a loud sound can be distinguished from a faint one,
both having the same pitch and quality

▪ Loudness of sound
depends on the amplitude
 of the wave.
Displacement

• Larger the amplitude,

louder the sound
• Loudness is NOT same
as intensity. Intensity is
a measurable quantity,
loudness is a sensation.

Intensity
• The amount of sound energy passing per
second normally through unit area at that
point.
• Unit: watt per second per metre2
 • Normal sound: 10-6 W m-2
• Minimum intensity for audibility: 10-12 W m-2
• Intensity of a sound wave is proportional to:
❑ Square of the amplitude of vibration
❑Square of the frequency of vibration
❑ Density of air
❑The velocity of sound in air

Loudness is NOT same as Loudness is subjective

intensity. Intensity is a quantity. Intensity is an
measurable quantity, objective quantity.
loudness is a sensation.
 L = K log10 I
L increases as I but not in
the same proportion.
Factors affecting loudness of sound
• Loudness :
⮚Proportional to the square of the amplitude.
⮚Inversely proportional to the square of the distance
from the source.
⮚Directly depends on surface area of vibrating body.
⮚Directly depends on density of the medium.

Units
 • SI unit of loudness: phon
• Unit of sound level: decibel (dB)
• 1 phon= 1 dB at frequency 1 kHz

1 db is defined as the increase in level of

loudness when the intensity of sound increases
by 26%.
Noise pollution
• The disturbance produced in the environment due to
undesirable loud and harsh sound of level above 120 dB from
various sources.
• 10 dB-30 dB: soothing
• 0 dB: lower limit of hearing
• What are the effects of noise pollution?
 Music Noise
1. It is regular, smooth and pleasant 1. It is harsh, discordant and
to the ears. unpleasant to the ear.
2. Produced by the vibrations 2. Produced by an irregular
which are periodic. succession of disturbances.
3. All the component waves are 3. The component waves change
similar without any sudden change their character suddenly and they
in their wavelength and amplitude. are of short duration.
4. The sound level is low. 4. The sound level is high.
5. The waveform is regular. 5. The wave form is irregular.
Eg. Eg.

Pitch or shrillness
• Pitch is that characteristic of sound by which
an acute (or shrill) note can be distinguished
 from a grave or flat note of same loudness. •
Pitch depends on the
frequency of
vibration.

Two notes sounded on the

same instrument with same
amplitude, will differ in
pitch when their vibrations
are of different frequencies.

Quality or timbre
• It is that characteristic which distinguishes
two sounds of the same loudness and same
 pitch, but emitted by two different
instruments because of change in their
waveforms.
• Quality of musical sound depends on the
waveform.
 FREE, DAMPED AND FORCED
VIBRATIONS; RESONANCE
Free Damped Forced
vibrations vibrations vibrations

Free vibrations
• Definition: The periodic vibrations of a body of constant
amplitude in absence of any external force on it. • For a
freely vibrating body:
– Time period: free/ natural period.
– Frequency: natural frequency
• Frequency/ period depends on shape and size of the
vibrating body.
• Amplitude and frequency remains constant.
• Free vibrations occur only in vacuum. It is an ideal situation
Examples
 •
Some musical instruments
• Flute or organ pipe:
o Air column vibrates with its natural frequency which
is inversely proportional to the length of the air column.
o Notes of different frequencies are produced by
changing the effective length of the air column when
different holes are closed.
o Open at both ends→f1: f2: f3:……= 1:2:3:…
( all harmonics)
o Closed at one end → f1: f2: f3 :……= 1:3:5:…
( odd harmonics)
Some musical instruments
 •
Different modes of vibration in a string
stretched between its end.
 When string is plucked in the
middle.
Fundamental note;
frequency f

When string is plucked at one-fourth

length.
First subsidiary/second harmonic ;
frequency

2f

When string is plucked at one-sixth length.

Second subsidiary/third harmonic ;
frequency 3f

When string is plucked at one-eighth

length. Third subsidiary/fourth harmonic ;
frequency 4f

Damped vibrations
 Damped vibrations

• Definition: The periodic vibrations of a body of decreasing

 amplitude in presence of resistive force.
• Amplitude decreases due to frictional/ resistive forces in the
medium.
• Vibrating body continuously loses energy against force of
friction.
• After sometime all energy is lost. Vibration stops. • Lost energy
is converted to heat energy and it gets dissipated in the
surrounding medium.
•
Difference between free and damped
vibrations
Free vibrations continue forever.
• Amplitude remains • No energy loss.
constant. Vibrations • No external force acts. Vibration
 occurs only under restoring vibrations cease.
force. • Some energy lost in form of
• Natural frequency that heat.
remains constant. • Frictional or damping forces
Damped vibrations oppose the motion.
• Amplitude gradually decreases • Frequency is less than
with time and ultimately natural frequency.
Forced vibrations
 Forced vibrations

• Definition: The vibrations f a body which take

place under the influence of an external
periodic force acting on it.
• This external periodic force is called the
 driving force.
•
Difference between free and forced
vibrations
Free vibrations remains constant with time.
• The vibrations of a body in Damped vibrations
absence of any resistive or • The vibrations of a body in a
medium in presence of an
external force. external periodic force.
• The frequency of vibration • The frequency of vibration is equal
depends on shape and size of to the frequency of the applied
force.
a body.
• Natural frequency that • The frequency of vibration changes
remains constant. with change in the frequency of the
applied force.
• The amplitude of vibration
• The amplitude of vibration depends on
 the frequency of the applied force.

Resonance
• When the frequency of an externally applied periodic
force on a body is equal to its natural frequency,
 body readily begins to vibrate with an increased
amplitude. This is resonance.
• Such vibrations of large amplitude are called
resonant vibrations.
• If fnatural = fexternal, then resonance occurs. Body starts
getting energy from the applied periodic force so as
to vibrate with an increased amplitude.
• If fnatural > or < fexternal, no resonance happens, the
body will execute only the forced vibrations of small
amplitude.
Exp-1 Resonance with tuning
 forks

Exp-2 Forced and resonant vibrations of

pendulums
Exp-3 Resonance in air column
Examples of resonance:

1. Resonant vibrations of pendulum. 2. Resonance in

machine parts.
3. Resonance in radio and TV receivers. 4. Resonance
in a stretched string and sound box of musical
instruments and sonometer

5. Resonance in air column and tuning fork.

6. When a troop crosses a suspension bridge, the soldiers are
asked to break their steps.