sound vocabulary grade 5
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
SOUND UNIT VOCABULARY
SOUND WAVES
Vibrations that spreads away from a
vibrating object• Drop a pebble into a pond the
waves go away from where the pebble was dropped
RAREFACTION
Part of a sound wave where molecules are spread
out
HERTZ
how frequency is measured (one vibration/second
is one hertz Hz)• Unit of measure
VOLUME
how loud or soft something is (depends on the
amount of energy in the sound wave)
DECIBEL
how volume is measured (dB) F 59 Chart of
decibels
ECHO
reflected sound wave (singing in the shower)
ECHOLOCATION
finding things or navigating using sonar (bats,
whales, dolphins use this) Echolocation
DOPPLER EFFECT
change in frequency and pitch as a sound moves
towards or away from you (named for scientist
Christian Doppler who discovered it)
Doppler
QUALITY
what makes a sound different from another sound
of same volume and pitch (2 singers same note,
same pitch, one is better)
FUNDAMENTAL
main or basic (fundamental frequency is the lowest
frequency something vibrates, guitar string after it is
strummed)
OVERTONE
vibrating at a higher frequency (more times) than
the fundamental
RESONANCE
a fullness and richness of sound, build up of
vibration (it “resonates” with you)
MICROPHONE-
an instrument that amplifies sound
ABSORPTION
disappearance of a sound wave into a surface
(think of a towel absorbing) hard surfaces sounds
bounce off, soft ones it absorbs