physics sound glossary Flashcards
amplifier
a device used to make sounds louder
amplify
to increase the amplitude of a sound so that it sounds louder
audible range
the range of frequencies that you can hear
auditory canal
the passage in the ear from the outer ear to the ear drum
auditory nerve
an electrical signal travels along the auditory nerve to the brain
cochlea
snail-shaped tube in the inner ear with the sensory cells that detect sound
compression
the part of a longitudinal wave where the air particles are close together
crest
the top of a wave
decibel
a commonly used unit of sound intensity or loudness (dB).
diaphragm
the part of a microphone that vibrates when a sound hits it
ear
the organ of the body that detects sound
eardrum
a membrane that transmits sound vibrations from the outer ear the the middle ear
echo
a reflection of a sound wave by an object
hertz
the unit of frequency
incident wave
the wave coming from a source of light
infrasound
a sound below a frequency of 20 Hz
inner ear
the semi-circular canals that help you balance, and you cochlea
kilohertz
1 kilohertz=1000 hertz
longitudinal
how loud you perceive a sound of certain intensity to be
medium
the material that affects light or sound by slowing it down or transferring the wave
microphone
a device used for converting a sound into and electric signal
middle ear
the ossicles (small bones) that transfer vibrations from the outer ear to the inner ear
oscillation
something that moves backwards or forewards
oscilloscope
a device that enables you to see electrical signals, like those made by a microscope
ossicles
the small bones of the middle ear (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) ,that transfer vibrations from the eardrum to the oval window
outer ear
The pinna, auditory canal, and eardrum
oval window
the membrane that connects the ossicles to the cochlea
pinna
the outside part of the ear (what we can see)
pitch
a property of sound determined by its frequency
rarefaction
the part of a longitudinal wave where air particles are spread out
receiver
the device that absorbs the sound waves
reflected wave
the wave that is reflected from a surface
reflection
the change in direction of a ray or wave after it hits a surface and bounces off
reverberation
the persistence of a sound for a longer period than normal
sound
a series of compressions and rarefactions that move through a medium
speed of light
the distance of light travelled in one second
speed of sound
the distance sound travels in one second
superpose
when waves join together so that they add up or cancel out
transmitter
a device that gives out light our sound
transverse
the vibrations are at right angles to the direction the waves move
trough
the bottom of a wave
ultrasound
sound at a frequency greater than 20,000 Hz, beyond the range of human hearing
vacuum
a space in which there is no matter
vibration
backwards and forwards motion of the parts of a liquid or solid
vocal chords
the pieces of skin that vibrate to produce sound
