You are on page 1of 8

SM Sains Muzaffar Syah

6.6
What is
sound
waves?

Sound is a form of energy propagated as waves that make our eardrums


__________
Sound waves are caused by vibrating objects.
Sound waves are _____________waves.

Sound waves are produced when a vibrating object causes the air molecules
around it to ___________.

When a tuning fork vibrates, layers of air vibrate and the sound energy is
propagated through the air around it in the form of waves.
When the tuning fork moves forwards, the air is ______________.
When the tuning fork moves backwards, the air layers are pulled apart and
cause a ____________.
Therefore, a series of compression and rarefactions will produce sound.

How is
sound
produced by
a vibrating
objects?

Why does
sound waves is
a longitudinal
waves?

Explain how
the loudness
relates to
amplitude?

Explain how
pitch relates
to frequency

The air particles vibrate backward and forward in the direction ____________
to the direction of propagation of the sound wave.
Wavelength of sound, = the distance between two successive regions of
compression or two successive regions of rarefaction.

The loudness of the sound depends on its amplitude.


If the amplitude is increased, the loudness increases.

A high pitch sound corresponds to a high frequency and a low pitch sound
corresponds to a low frequency of vibration.

42

SM Sains Muzaffar Syah

To investigate the relationship between the amplitude and the loudness of sound

The audio signal generator is switched on and the frequency of the sound wave is adjusted to a
suitable level. The loudness of the sound is varied from a lot to a high level gradually. Observe the
shape of the sound wave displayed on the screen of oscilloscope.
Write: low / medium / high
Wave form

Amplitude of sound
wave

Loudness of sound

The relation between the pitch and the frequency of sound


The audio signal is switched on and the loudness is adjusted to a suitable level. The frequency of the
sound is varied from low to high gradually. The pitch of the sound that is heard and the form of the
wave displayed on the screen of the oscilloscope is observed.
Write: low / medium / high
Wave form

Frequency of sound
wave

Pitch of sound

The reflection of sound is called echoes.


describe
applications
of reflection
of sound
waves.

Infrasound
Less than 20 Hz

Normal audible
range
20 Hz to
20 000 Hz

Ultrasound
Higher than
20 000 Hz.

43

SM Sains Muzaffar Syah

Ultrasound in medicine

Ultrasound waves is used to scan and capture the image of a


fetus in a mothers womb and the image of internal organ in a
body.
Transmitter P emits ultrasound downwards to the fetus.
Detector R receives the ultrasound (echoes) reflected by the
various parts of the fetus.
The soft tissues of the fetus absorb most of the incident
ultrasound, reflect very little. The bony parts will absorb very
little, but reflect most of the ultrasound. The reflected ultrasound
will produce an image of contrasting brightness.

Sonar
Sonar is the technique of using ultrasound to locate underwater
objects or to measure the depth of a seabed.
Ultrasound signal is sent out from a transmitter.
Its echo from the seabed is detected by a receiver which is
connected to an electrical recording circuit.
The time interval, t between the sending and receiving of the
ultrasound signal after reflection from the seabed is measured.

The depth of the seabed,

d v

t
2

where v is the velocity of

sound in water.
A bat can navigate in darkness
When ultrasonic waves emitted by the bat hit an object, they are
reflected back and received by the bat.
The time between the emission of the sound waves and
reception of the reflected waves enables the bat to estimate the
position of the object accurately.
This enables the bat to adjust its direction to avoid knocking at
the object.

Calculate
distances
using the
reflection of
sound waves.

Exersise 1
An ultrasonic wave is used to determine the depth of a seabed. A pulse of
ultrasound is generated and travels to the seabed and reflected by it. The
time taken by a pulse of ultrasonic wave to travel to and fro the seabed is
-1
0.28 s. It the speed of sound in the water is 1 500 ms , calculate the depth
of the seabed.

44

SM Sains Muzaffar Syah


TUTORIAL 6
1. Which graph represents the sound wave
with the highest pitch? (2003)

4. The diagrams shows an ultrasonic waves


transmitted from a boat to the seabed to
determine the depth, D,of the sea. The
speed of the ultrasonic waves in water is
-1
1 500 ms . The echo of the waves is
received 2.0 s after the transmission.

What is the value of D? (2004)


A. 375 m
B. 750 m
C. 1 500 m
D. 3 000 m
E. 6 000 m
5. A timekeeper for a sprint event starts the
stopwatch as he sees the smoke from the
pistol instead of hearing the shot. This
action is taken because .(2004)
A. sound produces echoes
B. light travels in a straight line
C. light travels faster than sound
D. surrounding temperature affects the
speed of sound.
2. A student can hear a sound in the range
of frequency from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
Which of the following wavelengths can
be heard by him?
-1
[speed of sound in air = 330 ms ]
-3
A. 3 x 10 m
-1
B. 3 x 10 m
1
C. 3 x 10 m
2
D. 3 x 10 m
3. Which phenomenon of sound waves
enables us to hear sound from an
obstacle where we cannot see?
A. Reflection
B. Refraction
C. Diffraction
D. Interference

6. Ahmad shouts in front of a high wall. He


hears the echo of his voice 1.2 seconds
later. The velocity of sound in air is 340
-1
ms . What is the distance between
Ahmad and the wall? (2003)
A. 204 m
B. 283 m
C. 340 m
D. 408 m
E. 816 m
7. A radar transmit a signal towards an
aeroplane. The velocity of the signal is
8
-1
-3
3.0 X 10 ms . After 4.0 x 10 s, the radar
detects the reflected signal. What is the
distance of the aeroplane from the radar?
(2007)
6
A. 2.4 x 10 m
6
B. 1.2 x 10 m
5
C. 6.0 x 10 m
5
D. 1.5 x 10 m

45

SM Sains Muzaffar Syah

8. A thin guitar string is strummed hard. It


will produce a loud and high pitch sound.
The most suitable graph to represent the
above situation is.. (2006)

C
D

The speed is greater in metals than


in gases
The speed is greatest in the densest
metal

10. Diagram below shows a submarine


transmitting ultrasonic waves directed at
a big rock on the sea bed. After 10
seconds, the submarine detects the
reflected wave.

Calculate the distance of the submarine


from the big rock. [Velocity of ultrasonic
wave =
-1
1 560 ms ] (2006)
A. 3.9 km
B. 7.8 km
C. 15.6 km
D. 31.2 km
E. 156.6 km

9. The table shows how the speed of sound


varies with substances of different
densities.
Substance
Speed of
Density of
sound
substance /
-3
waves/
kg m
-1
ms
Air
330
1.29
Oxygen
320
1.43
Aluminium
5 100
2 710
Iron
5 000
7 870
Lead
1 200
11 300

11. Astronauts are in a space-ship orbiting


the moon. They see an explosion on the
surface of the Moon.
Why can the not hear the explosion?
A Explosions cannot occur in space
B Sound cannot travel through a
vacuum
C Sound is reflected from the spaceship
D Sound travel too quickly through
space to affect the ear drum

Which conclusion about the speed of


sound can be drawn from this
information?
A The speed increases as the density
of the substances increases
B The speed is greater in less dense
substances

46

SM Sains Muzaffar Syah

Question 1 SPM 1996


The diagram below shows a fishing boat is
detecting a shoal of fish by using a sonar
system which has a high frequency sound
wave.

Question 2: Spm 2006


Diagram below shows two loudspeakers
connected to an audio frequency generator.
Students are standing at positions where
loud sounds can be heard.

(a) State the sound wave phenomenon


for detecting the shoal of fish.
_____________________________
(b) Explain why sonar used a high
frequency sound wave.
[2 m]
_____________________________
_____________________________

(a) What type of wave is the sound


waves?
____________________________ [1]
(b) Why are loud sounds heard by the
students at that positions?
____________________________

(c) If the time to detect the shoal of fish


is 1/15 seconds, calculate the
distance of the fishes from the boat if
the speed of the sound waves in
-1
water is 1500 ms .
[2 m]

[1]
(c) The distance between the two
loudspeakers is 1.5 m. At 10.0 m
from the loudspeakers, the distance
between two adjacent rows of
students is 4.0 m. Calculate the
wavelength of this sound wave.
[2]

(d) Explain why does the speed of sound


in water is greater than the speed of
sound in air?
[2 m]
________________________________
________________________________
(e) Name one application of sonar.
________________________________

(d) The frequency of the sound wave is


increased.
(i) What will happen to the distance
between two adjacent rows where
loud sounds are heard?
__________________________
[1]
(ii) Give a reason for your answer in
(d)(i).
[1]
_____________________________

47

SM Sains Muzaffar Syah

Question 3: SPM 2007 No. 12 (section C)


Diagram 1 shows an audio frequency
generator connected to a speaker and placed
near the corner of a wall. Three students, A,
B, and C, are standing around the next
corner.

Diagram 1
(a) State the physical quantity that
affects the pitch of the sound.
(b) When a high pitch sound is
generated, only student C can hear
the sound clearly. When a low pitch
sound is generated, all the three
students can hear the sound clearly.
Explain the situation.
[4 m]
(c) Diagram 2 shows a radar system at
an airport. Signals are transmitted
from the radar system to determine
the position of an aeroplane.

Diagram 2
Table 3 shows the specifications of four
system, K, L, M and N, that can be used to
determine the position of an aeroplane.

Radar
system
Diameter
of the
parabolic
disc/ m
Distance
of the
signal
receiver
from the
centre of
the
parabolic
dics
Types of
wave
transmitted
Height of
the
parabolic
disc
from the
ground

10

12

Same
as the
focal
length

Less
than
the
focal
length

Same
as the
focal
length

Less
than
the
focal
length

Microwave

Microwave

Radiowave

Radiowave

High

Low

Low

High

You are require to determine the most


suitable radar system. Study the
specifications of all the four radar system
based on the following aspects:
- The diameter of the parabolic disc
- The distance of the signal receiver from the
centre of the parabolic disc.
- The types of wave transmitted
- The height of the parabolic disc from the
ground.
Explain the suitability of the aspects.
(d) The depth of a sea is 90 m. A ship
transmits an ultrasonic wave of
frequency 50 kHz to the seabed and
receives an echo 0.12 s later.
Calculate
(i)
the speed of the
ultrasonic wave in the
water,
(ii)
the wavelength of the
ultrasonic wave in the
water.

48

SM Sains Muzaffar Syah

49

You might also like