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The Physics Of Sound. (Turn on your speakers). Why do we hear what we hear?. How are sound waves produced?. Mechanical waves Sound energy requires matter in order to transport it Sound Energy (pulses) create vibrations causing changes in pressure . How are sound waves produced ?.
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The Physics Of Sound (Turn on your speakers) Why do we hear what we hear?
How are sound waves produced? • Mechanical waves • Sound energy requires matter in order to transport it • Sound Energy (pulses) create vibrations causing changes in pressure
How are sound waves produced? • A longitudinal wave caused by pressure fluctuations in vibrating objects: • Compressions: high pressure regions (crowded area) • Rarefactions: low pressure regions (relaxed area) • Frequency- # of compressions passing/second • Wavelength – distance between compressions • A 3-dimensional arrangement
What happens to the speed of sound in different types of matter (media)? Each substance transfers sound energy at a different rate The rate is dependent on: • Tension - the higher the tension between molecules, the faster sound travels though a medium. • thermal energy - higher the temperature, the faster the molecules move and allow sound to travel through medium.
How do you break the sound barrier? • Supersonic- an object moves faster than the speed of sound • Moving at the speed of sound is known as Mach 1 • Exceeding Mach 1 (the sound barrier) causes a shock wave known as a sonic boom • Used to determine the speed of an aircraft • What is meant by Mach 2, or 3 etc. ?
What is a sound detector? • Converts sound energy into other forms of energy. • Allows humans to observe a sound wave • Often converts a compression (longitudinal wave) into a electromagnetic wave (transverse wave) • Ex. Microphone, the ear, ultrasonic machine
How does the ear work as a sound detector? • collects and directs sound • vibrates and send to the middle ear • Lever system that amplifies sound vibrations • Vibration of tiny hairs, transmitted to brain by nerves
The three components of sound are: • Pitch (how high or low) • Loudness (volume) • Timbre (tone color)
What is the relationship between the frequency and pitch of a sound? • Pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound perceived by humans • The qualitative observation (how high or low) • derived from the frequency • Frequency is the measurable quantity • The quantitative observation • Measured in Hertz • The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch
When the frequency of a sound doubles we say that the pitch goes up an octave. • We can hear a range of pitches of about ten octaves. • Many animals can make sounds and hear frequencies that are beyond what we can hear.
What frequencies can humans hear? • Human Range (audible) • 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz • We hear best between 200 and 2000 Hz • Changes with age and damage to the ear • Ultrasonic • Anything above 20,000 Hz • Used for sonar and medical diagnosis • Infrasonic • Anything below 20 Hz • Heavy machinery, lightning, elephants • We might not hear it, but you may feel these
Grasshopper 100 to 50,000 Moth 1000 hz – 240,000 hz Dog 40 hz – 46,000 hz Cat 100 hz –60,000 hz Mouse 1,000 hz – 91,000 hz Bull frog 100 hz – 3000 hz Tree frog 50 hz – 4000 hz Chicken 125 hz – 2,000 hz Elephant 16 hz – 12,000 hz Canary 250 hz – 8,000 hz Beluga whale 1000 hz – 123,000 hz Tuna 50 hz – 1,100 hz Owl 20 hz – 12,000 hz Bat 2,000 hz – 110,000 hz Gerbil 100 hz – 60,000 hz Hippo 30 hz – 64,000 hz Ferret 16 hz – 44,000 hz What are the audible frequencies of other organisms?
What is the relationship between the amplitude and loudness of a sound? Loudness is the volume a sound perceived by humans A qualitative measure of the power in a wave Can be quantified using “decibels” derived from the amplitude Amplitude is the measurable quantity The quantitative observation Measured in meters The larger the amplitude, the more energy in a wave and the more powerful it is.
Loudness vs. Decibel For every increase in 10 Decibels, the loudness DOUBLES!
Timbre • Harmonic Content of sound • Attack and Decay of sound • Vibrato • Periodic changes in the frequency/amplitude
The of sound…. bending
Daytime refraction of sound due to ground temperature being higher than air
Nighttime refraction of sound when ground cools off quickly but warm air from the day stay in the air.