What’s In
Activity: Word puzzle about sound waves
Objective: At the end of this activity, you are expected to recall the words
associated with sound waves.
Complete the puzzle below. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
Across
1. The degree of hotness or coldness of a material
2. A medium in which sound travels the fastest
3. Space where sound waves are unable to travel
4. It involves a change in the direction of waves as they pass from one medium
to another.
5. Repetition of sound caused by the reflection of sound waves
Down
1. Material through which sound waves can travel
2. The amount of mass per space or volume of the material
3. The ability of a material to return to its original shape after certain force is
applied to it
4. Turning back or bouncing back of a wave as it hits a barrier
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What’s New
Activity: Speed of Sound
Objective: At the end of this activity, you are expected to determine the effect of
temperature on the speed of sound.
The table below shows the speed of sound in air at various temperatures. Plot
the data on the graph provided and answer the questions that follow.
SPEED OF SOUND IN AIR
Temperature (0C) Speed (m/s)
0 331
5 334
Note to the Teacher
10 337 Provide extra copies of this activity
for students’ use.
20 343
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Questions:
1. Based on the graph, what is the relationship of temperature to the speed of
sound in air?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. From your graph, find the interval where the speed of sound at 15°C is located.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
3. Extend the line of your graph and find the interval where the speed of sound at
25°C is located.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. Use your graph to determine how much does the speed of sound change for the
given change in temperature.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
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What is It
Speed of Sound in Air
The speed of sound in dry air, which is at 0 0C, is around 331 m/s. This
speed, however, gets faster when the temperature is increased with the presence of
water vapor. In warmer air, or air with moisture, molecules move faster and bump
into each other more often, so sound can travel faster. The speed of sound increases
by 0.60 m/s with every increase of 1C0. This can be expressed as:
𝑚
𝑚
𝑣 = 331 𝑠
+ (0.6 ℃𝑠 ) ∙ 𝑇
where: v = speed
T = temperature in ℃
Study how you can use this equation with the following sample problems.
Example 1: What is the speed of sound in the air if the temperature is 300C?
Given: T = 30 0C
𝑚
𝑚
Solution: 𝑣 = 331 + (0.6 𝑠
)∙𝑇
𝑠 ℃
𝑚
𝑚 𝑠
= 331 𝑠
+ (0.6 ℃
) ∙ 30℃ substitute the given value of T and simplify
𝑚 𝑚
= 331 𝑠
+ (18 𝑠 ) multiply 30 and 0.6 and add the product to 331
𝑚
𝑣 = 349 𝑠
The speed of sound in air at 30 ℃ is approximately 349 m/s.
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Example 2: What is the temperature of air if the speed of sound is 346 m/s?
Given: v = 346 m/s
𝑚
𝑚
Solution: 𝑣 = 331 + (0.6 𝑠
)∙𝑇
𝑠 ℃
𝑚
𝑚 𝑚
346 𝑠
= 331 𝑠
+ (0.6 ℃𝑠 ) ∙ 𝑇 substitute the given speed
𝑚
𝑚 𝑚 𝑠
346 − 331 = (0.6 )∙𝑇 combine quantities with the same unit
𝑠 𝑠 ℃
𝑚
𝑚 𝑠
15 𝑠
= (0.6 ℃
)∙𝑇 simplify
𝑚
15
𝑠
𝑚 =𝑇 simplify
0.6 𝑠
℃
25 ℃ = 𝑇
The temperature of the air is at 25 ℃.
Properties of Sound
Like any wave, a sound wave does not just stop when it reaches the end of
the medium or when it encounters an obstacle in its path. Rather, a sound wave
will undergo certain behavior when it encounters the end of the medium or an
obstacle. Possible behavior includes reflection and refraction.
Reflection
Just like any other wave, sound also exhibits reflection. Reflection is usually
described as the turning back of the wave as it hits a barrier. The echo is an example
of a reflected sound. Reverberation, on the other hand, refers to multiple reflections
or echoes in a certain place. This best fits the bathroom which enhances the voice.
In theaters and movie houses, there are also reverberations and echoes. But
these are not pleasing to the ears during a play or a movie. To lessen these,
designers use curtains and cloth covers for the chairs and carpets.
Another application of sound reflection is echo sounding. This is used by
scientists to map the seafloor and to determine the depth of the ocean or sea. This
is just the same as how bats use sound to detect distances.
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Refraction
The refraction of sound waves involves a change in the direction of waves as
they pass from one medium to another. Sound waves travel slower in cooler air than
in warmer air. When a sound wave propagates in the air with temperature which
changes with altitude, refraction happens. A sound wave travels from air of higher
temperature to lower temperature. During the daytime, as illustrated in figure 1,
sound travels faster at the earth’s surface since the air molecules are hotter due to
the energy absorbed from the earth’s ground. The air molecules at the higher
altitude are cooler than those at the earth’s surface, causing sound waves to refract
upward. On the other hand, during night time, as illustrated in figure 2, the earth’s
surface is cooler and the layer of air immediately above it is also cooler. As a result,
sound travels faster at the higher altitude and is refracted or bent towards the
ground.
Figure 1: Sound refraction at day time Figure 2: Sound refraction at night time
Illustrated by Rosa Mia L. Pontillo
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What’s More
Activity: Calculating the Speed of Sound
Objective: At the end of this activity, you are expected to determine the speed of
sound at a given temperature, and vice versa.
Solve the problems below. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
1. The atmospheric temperature in Baguio City is 20℃. How fast does sound
travel in the air?
2. What is the temperature of air if the speed of sound is 348.40 m/s?
What I Have Learned
Fill in the blanks to complete the statements. Write your answers on a
separate sheet of paper.
1. The speed of sound in dry air at 00C is around __________.
2. The speed of sound in air increases by __________ with every increase of 1C0.
3. Sound exhibits the following properties: __________ and __________.
4. The turning back of the wave as it hits the barrier is called __________.
5. The reflected sound is known as __________.
6. __________ refers to the multiple reflections or echoes in a certain place.
7. An application of sound reflection used by scientists to map seafloor and to
determine the depth of the ocean or sea is __________.
8. The __________ of sound involves a change in the direction of waves as they
pass from one medium to another.
9. Sound waves travel __________ in cooler air than in warmer air.
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