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1.12.4 Handout

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21 views4 pages

1.12.4 Handout

Uploaded by

Arooba
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Term 1 Class 6

The City School


Handout Number: Science 1.12.4
Topic: Sound and Energy
Name: ___________________ Class: ___________
Reflection of sound
When light strikes a shiny surface, it is reflected. You may even see an image of yourself reflected on a
surface. You can find what happens when sound strikes a surface through the following simple
experiment.

Scientists like to check their discoveries by performing different investigations. The simple investigation
using the ears to detect the reflection of sound can be developed into a second investigation using a
sound detection meter which measures the energy in a sound wave. A cell phone can be converted into a
sound meter by downloading a decibel meter app. A decibel is a measure of sound energy and its symbol
is dB.
Term 1 Class 6
Term 1 Class 6

If you want to catch someone's attention in the


distance, you may shout at them. If they do not
hear, you might cup your hands and shout again.
This time they may hear you. If someone whispers
to you in class, you might cup your hand around
your ear to hear better.
Recording bird-song
Scientists use the reflection of sound to help them
record bird-song. To do this, they use a parabolic
reflector. Sound from the singing bird strikes the
inside of the reflector and, because of its curved shape, the reflected sound- waves are directed to a point
in front of the reflector where the sound appears to be amplified. A microphone is placed at that point to
record the bird-song.
Echoes
The human ear can only hear two sounds
separately if they reach the ear more than
one-tenth of a second apart. If they arrive in
a shorter time than this you may hear a
reverberation but, in certain circumstances,
if they arrive more than one-tenth of a
second apart you may hear an echo.
Sound travels at about 340 metres per
second, or 34 metres in one-tenth of a
second. To make a sound that produces an
echo, you need it to travel at least 34
metres from you and back again.
A crash of thunder, called a thunderclap, is
made when a streak of lightning flashes
through the air. The heat of the lightning
makes the air expand so fast that it makes
the noise. During a thunderstorm, you sometimes hear a few claps of thunder close together. This is
called a roll of thunder and is caused by the sound of one thunderclap being reflected off the clouds.
making a multiple echo.

Bats and dolphins also use


echolocation to find their
prey. Both types of
animals send out
ultrasounds which reflect
off their prey and return
to the animals’ ears. In a
bat, the brain compares
the ultrasounds released
with those that return (the
echo) and uses them to
swoop down on an insect such as a moth. A dolphin compares the ultrasounds released and echoed back
to find shoals of fish.
Term 1 Class 6

Science in Context:

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