How Are Sounds Made?
What must an object do to make a sound?
Vibrate
Which word describes how loud or soft a sound is?
Loudness, or volume, is the correct term for describing the intensity (loudness or softness) of a sound.
A louder sound is caused by...
Larger vibrations
A faster vibration will produce a...
higher pitch.
Which types of materials are generally best for muffling sound?
A. Hard and smooth
B. Soft and porous
C. Thin and dense
D. Shiny and metallic
B. Soft and porous
These materials, like carpets or curtains, have surfaces that trap and absorb sound vibrations, reducing their energy.
When you pluck a guitar string, what part vibrates to make the sound?
The string
To make a sound with a higher pitch, you need to make the vibrations...
Faster vibrations (more frequent) produce a higher pitch.
How can you make the sound from a guitar string softer?
Pluck it more gently
If you pluck a short guitar string, how will its pitch compare to a longer string (if they are the same thickness and tightness)?
The short string will have a higher pitch.
A ship uses SONAR to map the ocean floor. This technology works in a very similar way to which of these?
A. A fire alarm warning people of danger.
B. A bird singing a song to attract a mate.
C. A bat using sound to find an insect.
D. A person listening to music with headphones.
C. A bat using sound to find an insect.
Both SONAR and bat echolocation involve sending out sound pulses and interpreting the returning echoes to 'see' surroundings.
How can you make a sound louder?
By making the vibrations bigger (hit/blow harder, shout louder, increase volume, etc..)
Which word describes how high or low a sound is?
Pitch is the correct term for how high (like a whistle) or low (like a foghorn) a sound is.
What happens to the volume of a sound as you move further away from its source?
It gets softer
A small bell will usually have a _______ pitch than a large bell.
higher
What is the main purpose of sound 'muffling' or 'dampening'?
To reduce or absorb unwanted sound.
If you have two elastic bands, how can you make one produce a higher pitched sound than the other?
Stretch it tighter.
When you blow across the top of a bottle with a little water in it, it makes a sound. How can you make the pitch higher?
Add more water to the bottle.
Adding more water makes the column of air inside the bottle shorter. A shorter air column vibrates faster, creating a higher pitch.
Why does shouting into a pillow sound much quieter than shouting in an open room?
The pillow absorbs the sound energy.
You have two glass bottles. You blow across the top of both. Bottle A has a little water in it. Bottle B is almost full of water. Which bottle will make the higher pitch?
Bottle B (almost full).
In Bottle B, the water fills most of the bottle, leaving only a short column of air to vibrate. A short air column vibrates faster, producing a higher pitch.
Which of these is an example of sound being used as a warning signal?
A. A person playing a guitar.
B. An ambulance siren in traffic.
C. Two friends whispering.
D. A bat finding an insect in the dark.
B. An ambulance siren in traffic.
The loud, distinct sound is universally understood as a warning to clear the way for an emergency.
How do humans make the sound of their voice?
By air vibrating the vocal cords in the throat.
A tiny bird's 'chirp' sound can be best described as...
Soft and high pitched.
A small bird creates soft sounds, and its small vocal cords vibrate very quickly, creating a high pitch.
What is the unit used to measure the volume (loudness) of a sound?
Decibels (dB)
Which of these will NOT make a sound's pitch higher?
A. Making a string tighter.
B. Making a string shorter.
C. Making a string thicker.
D. Using a smaller object.
C. Making a string thicker.
A thicker string vibrates slower, which produces a lower pitch, not a higher one.
All of the following are primary uses of sound EXCEPT...
A. Locating objects or navigating.
B. Communicating with other people.
C. Warning of danger.
D. Creating light.
D. Creating light.
Sound is a form of energy that travels as vibrations, while light is a different form of energy (electromagnetic waves).