UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON ISVR6136W1

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SEMESTER 1 EXAMINATIONS 2016-17

FUNDAMENTALS OF ACOUSTICS
DURATION 120 MINS
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This paper contains 4 Questions

Answer THREE questions on this paper.

An outline marking scheme is shown in brackets to the right of each

question.

A list of acoustic formulae is provided

An Engineering Data Book by Calvert and Farrar is provided

Only University approved calculators may be used.

A foreign language direct ‘Word to Word’ translation dictionary

(paper version ONLY) is permitted, provided it contains no notes,
additions or annotations.

Version saved: 27/01/2017 10:04:15

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1.
(i) Explain what is meant by the following terms:
(a) Acoustic particle velocity;
(b) Characteristic acoustic impedance;
(c) Specific acoustic impedance.
[ 6 marks]
(ii)
(a) Write down the solutions of the one-dimensional
Helmholtz equation that respectively describe
harmonic wave propagation in the positive and
negative x-directions.
[ 2 marks]

(b) If the positive going wave has an amplitude of

6.0 x 10-3 Pa and the negative going wave has an
amplitude (modulus) of one third (1/3) of that of a
positive going wave, derive an expression for the
variation with x of the amplitude of the pressure
fluctuation that is produced by the interference
between the two waves. Assume that the phase of
each wave is zero at x = 0. Clearly state any
assumptions that you make in your derivation.
[ 7 marks]

(c) Sketch the variation with kx of the modulus of the

resulting pressure fluctuation.
[ 5 marks]

(iii) A tube of length L = 4 m (see Figure 1.1) is driven by the

harmonic oscillations of a rigid piston at an angular
frequency such that the wavenumber k = π/2 m-1. The
tube is terminated by a material having a normal
impedance which is purely resistive and equal to 4ρ0c0
where ρ0 is the density and c0 is the speed of sound in
the air in the tube. If the amplitude of the piston velocity
is 0.1 ms-1, calculate the amplitude (in Nm-2) of both the
positive and negative going waves in the tube. (Assume
c0 = 344 ms-1 and ρ0 = 1.21 kgm-3.)
[ 13 marks]

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L=4m

x Z = 4ρ0 c0

Figure 1.1 Piston in tube terminated with an impedance.

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2.
(i) The one-dimensional equations of mass and momentum
conservation of a fluid can be written as:

 tot  (  tot u )
 0
t x (1)
 u u  p
u   tot  tot  0 (2)
 x t  x

where ptot and ρtot are the total pressure and density in the
fluid and u is the local velocity in the fluid.

(a) Give a physical interpretation of what each term in

these equations represents.
[ 4 marks]

(b) Show how these equations can be linearised, clearly

indicating the approximations used.
[ 10 marks]

(c) Hence derive the one-dimensional wave equation.

You can assume that p = c02ρ.
[ 5 marks]

(ii) Demonstrate that pressure fluctuations of the form

p( x, t )  f (t  x / c0 ) are solutions of the one-dimensional
wave equation. What do solutions of the form
p( x, t )  f (t  x / c0 ) and p ( x, t )  g (t  x / c 0 ) represent?
[ 7 marks]

(iii) For spherically symmetric acoustic radiation, the three-

dimensional wave equation can be written as

 2 rp (r , t )  1  2 rp (r , t ) 
 2 0
r 2 c0 t 2 (3)

Where r is the radial co-ordinate. By comparison with the

one-dimensional wave equation deduce the forms of

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solution for p (r , t ) analogous to those given for p ( x, t ) in
part 2(ii). Also describe the physical interpretation of the
solutions thus deduced. For an unbounded medium which
type of solutions will be possible?
[ 7 marks]

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3.
(i) Consider a rectangular room with dimensions L1, L2 and L3
in the x1, x2 and x3 directions respectively. The acoustic
mode shape functions ψn(x) of the room satisfy the
eigenvalue equation

 2 2 2 
 2  2  2  kn2  n (x)  0
 x1 x2 x3 

where x = (x1, x2, x3).

(a) Show that if the walls of the room are assumed to be

rigid then ψn(x) is of the form

n1x1 n x n x
 n (x)  An cos cos 2 2 cos 3 3
L1 L2 L3
where

n  n   2  n   2  n   2 
kn    1    2    3  
c0  L1   L2   L3  

and n represents the trio of integers (n1, n2, n3).

[ 11 marks]

(b) Sketch the spatial variation of the instantaneous

acoustic pressure in an enclosure for the case
n1 = 2, n2 = 3 and n3 = 0 in the x1 - x2 plane (x3 = 0)
and along the x1 axis and x2 axis.
[ 6 marks

(ii) The Sabine Equation relates the “reverberation time” and

“average absorption coefficient” for an enclosure. Define
these terms and explain the underlying assumptions
regarding the form of the sound field in an enclosure that
allow these concepts to be used.
[ 6 marks]

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(iii) A rectangular air-filled room measures 5 m x 7 m x 3 m. All

the surfaces are covered with plaster having an absorption
coefficient of 0.07 at 500 Hz, except the floor (5 m x 7 m)
which is covered with carpet having an absorption
coefficient of 0.2 at 500 Hz.

(a) Calculate the average absorption coefficient and

reverberation time at 500 Hz.
[ 5 marks]

(b) What absorption coefficient would a ceiling

treatment have to have to reduce the reverberation
time to 0.5 s?
[ 5 marks]

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4.
(i) Write down the definitions of the “sound power” and “sound
power level” of an acoustic source. Also write down the
definition of the “sound pressure level” produced by a
source. Explain why the decibel scale is used in acoustics.
[ 7 marks]

(ii) Two students A and B attempt to measure the acoustic

power radiated by an acoustic source radiating narrowband
noise in a band around 1 kHz. The students make
measurements on an imaginary cuboid surface surrounding
the source as shown in Figure 4.1. The source is placed on
a hard surface and the cuboid has dimensions of 0.7 m
(width) x 0.7m (depth) x 0.7 m (height). The measurements
are all performed in a standard laboratory that is NOT
anechoic.

Student Y uses an intensity probe to measure the normal

component of intensity at the centre of each face of the
cuboid surface and gets the results for the intensity shown
in Figure 4.2.

Student Z uses a microphone to measure the sound

pressure level at the centre of each face of the cuboid
surface and gets the results for the intensity shown in
Figure 4.2.

(a) Starting from the integral expression for the sound

power of a source in terms of the intensity on a
surface surrounding the source, show how the
student Y can use a summation to calculate the
Sound Power of the source, noting the
approximations used. Use his data to calculate the
sound power and sound power level of the source.
[ 9 marks]

(b) Obtain a further approximate expression that

student Z can use to calculate the Sound Power,
stating the approximation used. What Sound Power
Level will he calculate from his data?
[ 7 marks]

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(c) Comment on the difference between the results
obtained for the Sound Power by students Y and Z,
and give a possible explanation for the difference.
[ 4 marks]

(d) Suggest how each student could improve their

experimental method to obtain a more accurate
answer for the sound power, giving your reasons.
[ 6 marks]

Acoustic Source Figure 4.1 Experimental

arrangement.

Hard Surface

0.7 m

0.7 m
0.7 m

Student Y Student Z
Surface Area Sound Intensity Sound Pressure
Level, LI Level, Lp
dB re 10-12 Wm-2 dB re 2 x 10-5 Pa
1 (front) 0.7 m x 0.7 m 81.0 85.0
2 (side) 0.7 m x 0.7 m 81.0 85.0
3 (back) 0.7 m x 0.7 m 82.0 86.0
4 (side) 0.7 m x 0.7 m 82.0 86.0
5 (top) 0.7 m x 0.7 m 86.0 88.0

Figure 4.2 Table of student results.

Assume c0 = 344 ms-1 and ρ0 = 1.21 kgm-3.

END OF PAPER

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