Physics test 1 Flashcards
4 ways musical instruments make different sounds
- When an air collumn vibrates
- when a string vibrates
- When you hit them
- When a skin or a metal bar vibrates
What 3 factors make a string instrument produce a higher note?
- A shorter string
- A tighter string
- A thinner string
What 3 factors make a string instrument produce a lower note>
- The longer the string, the lower the note
- The looser the string, the lower the note
- The thivker the string, the lower the note
What conditions are required for sound waves to be able to travel?
If there are particles to transmit the vibration.
What kind of wave does sound travel as?
A longitudinal wave
What helps sound waves travel well?
When particles are close together to pass on the vibration.
How well does sound travel in:
1. a solid
2. a liquid
3. a gas
- Solid = very well
- Liquid = fairly well
- gas = poorly
Sound travels through a vacuum.
True or false?
False - sound doesn’t travel through a vacuum because there are not particles to pass on the vibration.
What speed does sound travel at in metals?
6000 metres/second (m/s)
Which travels faster, light or sound?
Give an example of this
Light travels faster than sound
We see lightening before we hear thunder unless the storm is overhead.
What is the speed of light in space?
300,000,000 metres/second (m/s)
What is the speed of sound in air?
330 metres/second (m/s)
What is an echo?
An echo is a reflection of sound from a hard surface.
What does frequency mean?
What is it measured in?
Frequency means the amount of waves per second.
Measured in hertz (Hz)
What does high frequency mean?
High frequency means many waves close together (short wave length)
What does a musical note sound like when the frequency is high?
The note sounds high in pitch.
How is sound created?
Sound is created by something vibrating, the vibrating object causes air particles next to it to vibrate, which then cause the nect particles to vibrate.
A disturbance of air moves out from the source of the sound.
How does sound travel
Sound travels through the air in waves, and may eventually reach the ear of the listener.
What is a medium in physics?
Give 4 examples of mediums
A substance which something travels through
- Solid
- Liquid
- Gas
- Vacuum
What is the equation for calculating the speed of sound through an substance?
Distance (m) divided by time (s)
Speed of sound = m/s
Explain how you can increase the pitch of a sound wave
To increase the pitch - you need to increase the number of waves per second/frequency.
You also need to decrease the wavelength
Define amplitude?
The amplitude is also know as the volume - the height of a sound wave..
Explain how you can increase the volume of a sound wave
To increase the volume you need to increase the height of the soundwave.
What happens to the amplitude when the volume increases?
The amplitude increases
Define sound frequency
What is it measured in?
Frequency is how many waves there are per second
Hertz (Hz)
Label the ear in order that sound waves travel through it
- outer ear
- ear canal
- ear drum
- three ear bones
- cochlea
- auditory nerve
What is sound measured in
What is unwanted sound called?
decibels (dB)
noise
Define wavelength
Wavelength is a measurement of the length of one full wave form. (Peak to peak/trough to trough)
What speed does sound travel at in water?
1500 m/s
