![Page 1: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Sound
• Sound waves
• Wave equations
• Speed of sound
• The Ear
• Speed of sound
• Sounds are waves
• Intensity
• Pitch
• Timbre
1
![Page 2: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
• Sound waves are variations in pressure (above & below the background).
• A series of compressions and rarefactions.
• Particles are moving forward & back (~1mm), but the wave as a whole moves forward at the speed of sound (340 m/s in air).
• This is known as a longitudinal wave.
Sound waves
2
Source of vibration
Direction of propagation
![Page 3: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Sound waves
Pressure variation(∆V)
AmplitudeDistance (m)
Standing longitudinal waves
3
Time (s)
Wavelength
Period
A snapshot in time: pressure varies with distance.
At one point: pressure varies with time.Peak
Trough
![Page 4: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Wave equations
v = fλ
v = λ
T f =1
T
4
v = speed of sound (m/s) (dependent on material)
λ = wavelength (m)
f = frequency (Hz)
period (s)
![Page 5: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Wave equations
5
• Human ears can hear from ~30 Hz to 20kHz.
• What is the range of wavelengths?
λ =
340m / s30Hz
=11.3m
λ =
340m / s20,000Hz
= 0.017m (17mm)
v = fλ λ =
vf
![Page 6: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Speed of sound
• The speed of sound is a property of the material: it depends upon the elasticity and density of the material
• c ≈ 340m/s in air at room temp
• c ≈1400m/s in water
• c ≈ 5000m/s in steel
v = C
ρ
Co-efficient of stiffness (solids)or modulus of elasticity (gases)
Density(mass / volume)
6
More dense, but much more resistant to compression:
waves travel faster.
![Page 7: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
The human ear
7
Wikipedia: Ear
• The ear changes sound pressure waves from the outside world into nerve impulses sent to the brain.
• The sound is amplified through the middle portion of the ear and passed from of air into a liquid.
• The hollow channels of the inner ear are filled with liquid, and contain microscopic "hairs" that project out into the fluid. The hair cells are receptors that release a chemical signal when stimulated.
![Page 8: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Sounds are waves
• A 440 Hz pure tone is often used as a reference.
• This wave has a period of 2.27 ms.
8
Intensity
Time (ms)
![Page 9: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Intensity
• Loudness / intensity is related to amplitude. (Higher pressure variations → higher intensity.)
• This tone has the half the intensity of the reference.
9
Intensity
Time (ms)
![Page 10: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Pitch
• Pitch is related to frequency. (Lower frequency → lower pitch.)• 330 Hz has a period of 3.4 ms.
10
Intensity
Time (ms)
![Page 11: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Pitch
• Pitch is related to frequency. (Higher frequency → higher pitch.)• 880 Hz has a period of 1.14 ms
11
Intensity
Time (ms)
![Page 12: Sound waves • Wave equations • The Ear - vcephysics.comvcephysics.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Sound-waves.pdf · • Sound waves • Wave equations • Speed ... •](https://reader031.vdocument.in/reader031/viewer/2022022003/5aa2a7f17f8b9a1f6d8d88c7/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
VCE Physics.comSound waves -
Tone
• Timbre / tone is related to the shape of the wave. (Single sin wave→ pure tone.)
• This tone combines 440 Hz & 880 Hz.
12
Intensity
Time (ms)