How are sound waves produced?
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How are sound waves produced?
Sound waves are produced by vibrating (or oscillating) sources.
What is the name of the region of a sound wave that contains a lower density of particles? (Extended Tier Only)
The region of a sound wave that contains a lower density of particles is called a rarefaction.
True or False?
Sound waves are transverse waves.
False.
Sound waves are longitudinal waves.
True or False?
Sound waves require a medium to travel through.
True.
Sound waves are longitudinal waves so they do require a medium to travel through.
What is the name of the region of a sound wave that contains a higher density of particles? (Extended Tier Only)
The region of a sound wave that contains a higher density of particles is called a compression.
What is the difference between compressions and rarefactions?
Compressions are regions with a high density of particles, while rarefactions are regions with a low density of particles.
True or False?
Sound is a type of pressure wave. (Extended Tier Only)
True.
Sound is a type of pressure wave consisting of compressions and rarefactions, which cause changes in pressure that vary with the wave.
True or False?
Sound waves can travel through a vacuum.
False.
Sound waves require a medium to travel through, so they cannot travel through a vacuum where there are no particles.
What happens when sound waves hit a solid? (Extended Tier Only)
When sound waves hit a solid, the variations in pressure cause the surface of the solid to vibrate in sync with the sound wave.
Define the speed of sound.
The speed of sound is the speed which sound travels through a particular medium.
What is the typical speed of sound in air at room temperature?
The speed of sound in air at room temperature is about 340 m/s.
True or False?
The speed of sound in air varies from 330 – 350 m/s.
True.
The speed of sound in air varies from 330 – 350 m/s, with higher temperatures leading to a greater speed of sound.
Through which state of matter does sound travel the fastest? (Extended Tier Only)
Sound travels fastest in solids because the particles in a solid are closer together.
Through which state of matter does sound travel the slowest? (Extended Tier Only)
Sound travels the slowest in gases because the particles are furthest apart.
True or False?
Measuring the speed of sound using an oscilloscope is the most accurate method.
True.
Measuring the speed of sound using an oscilloscope is the most accurate method because the timing is done automatically.
What is the relationship between the frequency of a sound wave and its pitch?
Sounds with a high frequency (or short wavelength) have a high pitch, and sounds with a low frequency (or long wavelength) have a low pitch.
What is the relationship between the amplitude of a sound wave and its volume?
Sounds with a large amplitude have a high volume, and sounds with a small amplitude have a low volume.
Define the term echo.
An echo is the reflection of a sound wave off a hard surface.
True or False?
Decreasing the amplitude of a sound wave will increase its volume.
False.
Decreasing the amplitude of a sound wave will decrease its volume.
What is echo sounding used for?
Echo sounding can be used to measure depth or to detect objects underwater by transmitting a sound wave from the surface of the water and measuring the time it takes for the reflected wave to return.
True or False?
Increasing the frequency of a sound wave will increase its volume.
False.
Increasing the frequency of a sound wave will increase its pitch.
True or False?
The distance a sound wave travels in echo sounding is twice the depth of the water.
True.
The distance the sound wave travels in echo sounding is twice the depth of the ocean, as it travels to the ocean floor and back.
How do you decrease the pitch of a soundwave?
Decreasing the frequency of a sound wave will decrease the pitch of the sound.
What effect would increasing the amplitude of a sound wave have on the sound?
Increasing the amplitude of a soundwave would increase the volume of the sound.
Define the term ultrasound.
Ultrasound is the name given to sound waves with a frequency greater than 20,000 Hz.
True or False?
Ultrasound is not audible to humans.
True.
Ultrasound is not audible to humans because it has a frequency greater than 20,000 Hz, which is beyond the range of human hearing.
What happens when ultrasound reaches a boundary between two media? (Extended Tier Only)
When ultrasound reaches a boundary between two media, some of the waves are partially reflected, while the remainder are transmitted through the material.
What is the typical range of human hearing?
Humans can hear sounds between about 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz in frequency, although this range decreases with age.
What do ultrasound transducers do? (Extended Tier Only)
Ultrasound transducers emit ultrasound and receive ultrasound.
What property of ultrasound allows it to be used for medical and industrial imaging? (Extended Tier Only)
The time taken for ultrasound reflections to reach a detector can be used to determine how far away a boundary is, as ultrasound travels at different speeds through different media. This allows ultrasound waves to be used for both medical and industrial imaging.
True or False?
Ultrasound is invasive and potentially harmful. (Extended Tier Only)
False.
Unlike many other medical imaging techniques, ultrasound is non-invasive and is believed to be harmless.
True or False?
Ultrasound can be used to detect cracks inside metal objects. (Extended Tier Only)
True.
In industry, ultrasound can be used to check for cracks inside metal objects and generate images beneath surfaces.
True or False?
Ultrasound can be used to treat kidney stones. (Extended Tier Only)
True.
Ultrasound can be used as a medical treatment, such as removing kidney stones.
Can a human hear a sound with a frequency of 18 kHz?
Yes. Humans can detect sounds with frequencies in the range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.