GRADE: 9 SOUND Sub: PHYSICS

Production of Sound
Sound is produced due to the vibration of objects. Vibration is the rapid to and fro motion of an object.
WAVES
A wave is a disturbance which moves through a medium by the vibration of the particles of the medium.
Sound travels in wave form is known as mechanical wave since it needs medium to travel.

Transverse waves
Particles of the medium vibrate perpendicular to the direction of propagation of wave.

Longitudinal waves
Particles of the medium vibrate along the direction of propagation of wave.

Wavelength
Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive crest or two consecutive troughs.
The distance between two consecutive compressions or two consecutive rarefactions is also called as
wavelength.
It is denoted by the Greek letter lambda λ. Its SI unit is metre.
Frequency:

Number of complete waves produced in one second or number of vibrations per second is called frequency.

The SI unit of frequency is hertz (Hz). The symbol of frequency is ᵧ(nu). Frequency can be represented by

f
Time Period:
Time taken to complete one vibration is called time period.
SI unit of time period is second (s). Time period is denoted by T. The frequency of a wave is the reciprocal of
the time period.

Amplitude:
The maximum displacement of the particle of the medium from its mean position in a vibration is called
amplitude of the wave.
Amplitude is denoted by A and its SI unit is metre (m).

Characteristics of Sound
Sound have characteristics like pitch and loudness and timbre.
Pitch: The pitch of sound depends on the frequency of sound (vibration).

Loudness: The loudness depends on the amplitude of the sound wave.

v = λf
Velocity = Wavelength × Frequency
This is the wave equation
This can be written as follows

v= /T

Speed of Sound in Various Mediums

(i) Speed of sound depends on the nature of material through which it travels. It is slowest in gases,
faster in liquids and fastest in solids.
(ii) Speed of sound increases with the rise in temperature.
(iii) Speed of sound increases as humidity of air increases.
(iv) Speed of light is faster than speed of sound.
(v) In air, speed of sound is 344 ms-1 at 22ºC.

Reflection of Sound
Like light, sound also bounce back when it falls on a hard surface. It is called reflection of sound. The laws
of reflection of light are obeyed during reflection of sound.

(i) The incident sound wave, the reflected sound wave and normal at the point of incidence lie in the
same plane.
(ii) Angle of reflection of sound is always equal to the angle of incidence of sound.

Echo
If we shout or clap near a reflecting surface like tall building or a mountain, we hear the same sound again.
This sound which we hear is called echo. It is caused due to the reflection of sound.
To hear an echo clearly, the time interval between the original sound and the echo must be at least 0.1s
Since the speed of sound in air is 344 m/s, the distance travelled by sound in 0.I s = 344 m/s x 0.1 s
= 34.4 m

So, to hear an echo clearly, the minimum distance of the reflecting surface should be half this distance that is
17.2 m.
Reverberation
Echoes may be heard more than once due to repeated or multiple reflections of sound from several
reflecting surfaces. This causes persistence of sound called reverberation.
In big halls or auditoriums to reduce reverberation, the roofs and walls are covered by sound
absorbing materials like compressed fibre boards, rough plaster or draperies.
Range of Hearing
Human beings can hear sound frequencies between 20 Hz and 2000 Hz. Sound whose frequency -is
less than 20 Hz is called infrasonic sound. Sound whose frequency is more than 2000 Hz is called
ultrasonic sound.
Sonar (Navigation And Ranging)

It is a device which uses ultrasonic waves to measure distance, direction and speed of underwater objects.
The distance of the object can be calculated by knowing the speed of sound in water and the time taken
between the transmission and reception of ultrasound.

The total distance, 2d travelled by the ultrasound is then, 2d = v × t.

Applications of Ultrasound

• Ultrasound is generally used to clean parts located in hard-to-reach places, for example, spiral
tube, odd shaped parts, electronic components, etc
• Ultrasounds can be used to detect cracks and flaws in metal blocks.
• Ultrasonic waves are made to reflect from various parts of the heart and form the image of the
heart. This technique is called ‘echocardiography’
• Ultrasound scanner is an instrument which uses ultrasonic waves for getting images of internal
organs of the human body.
• Ultrasound may be employed to break small ‘stones’ formed in the kidneys into fine grains.