Sound Waves
What type of wave is a sound wave?
A longitudinal wave
What factors affect the speed of sound?
Medium, temperature, density, and elasticity
Name the three sections of the human ear.
Outer ear, middle ear, inner ear.
What is a medium in terms of sound?
A medium is the substance (solid, liquid, or gas) through which sound travels.
What causes sound waves?
Sound waves are caused by vibrating objects.
How do sound waves travel through air?
Sound waves travel by causing air particles to vibrate back and forth in the direction of the wave.
How does temperature affect sound speed?
As temperature increases, particles move faster, which allows sound to travel quicker.
What is the function of the eardrum?
The eardrum vibrates in response to sound waves and transmits those vibrations to the middle ear.
Can sound travel through a vacuum? Why or why not?
No, because there are no particles in a vacuum to transmit sound waves.
How do vocal cords produce sound?
Vocal cords vibrate when air passes through them, creating sound waves.
What are the two areas in longitudinal waves?
Compression and rarefaction.
Why do sound waves travel faster in solids than in gases?
Particles in solids are closer together, allowing energy to transfer more quickly.
How do the bones in the middle ear amplify sound?
The hammer, anvil, and stirrup work as a lever system to increase the force and pressure of sound waves.
What type of medium is best for sound transmission?
Solids are generally the best medium for sound transmission.
Explain the difference between transverse and longitudinal waves.
In transverse waves, particles move perpendicular to the wave direction, while in longitudinal waves, particles move parallel to the wave direction.
What happens to particles during compression
Particles are pushed closer together.
What is the speed of sound in air at 20°C?
Approximately 343 m/s.
What does the cochlea do?
The cochlea converts sound vibrations into electrical signals sent to the brain.
Explain how sound travels through water.
Sound travels through water as particles collide and transmit energy in a similar way as in air, but more efficiently.
Describe how speakers create sound.
Speakers vibrate a diaphragm that pushes and pulls air, creating sound waves.
Explain how vibrations create sound
Vibrations from an object disturb the surrounding particles, creating sound waves that travel through a medium.
How does density influence sound speed?
Higher density materials usually transmit sound waves faster due to closer particle proximity.
Describe how the outer ear collects sound.
The outer ear acts like a funnel to gather sound waves and direct them into the ear canal.
Compare sound travel in air vs. steel.
Sound travels faster in steel than in air due to steel's higher density and elasticity.
What role does elasticity play in sound travel?
More elastic materials allow sound waves to travel faster because they return to their original shape quickly, facilitating energy transfer.