Sound A1 56 – 63

Question 1

What is a wave?

Answer 1

An oscillation or vibration that transfers energy.

Question 2

What produces a sound wave?

Answer 2

A vibration

Question 3

State the fastest mediums of sound in ascending order.

Answer 3

Air –> Liquid –> Solid

Question 4

Name the 3 important features of a wave

Answer 4

• Frequency: The number of vibrations per second
• Amplitude: Maximum amount of vibration measured in the middle of the wave
• Wavelength: Distance between the two points of the wave.

Question 5

What are the top and bottom of a wave called?

Answer 5

The top is called a crest / peak. and the bottom is called a trough.

Question 6

How can you display a sound wave?

Answer 6

Using an oscilloscope, which captures the sound wave in the air as displays it as a changing p.d.

Question 7

A loud sound has a higher / lower amplitude than a softer sound

Answer 7

Higher

Question 8

what is absorption in sound?

Answer 8

As sound passes through an object, it comes out quieter, because it has been absorbed, as opposed to being reflected.

Question 9

What is an echo?

Answer 9

When sound waves get reflected off surfaces.

Question 10

What does the pitch of a sound depend on?

Answer 10

The frequency, the higher the pitch, the higher the frequency and vice versa.

Question 11

How can you make a sound more high pitched?

Answer 11

Increase its vibrations per second (frequency)

Question 12

Define infrasound

Answer 12

A sound below 20Hz

Question 13

Define Ultrasound

Answer 13

A sound over 20 000 Hz (20kHz)

Question 14

How can you find the time period of a sound wave on an oscilloscope?

Answer 14

Each division (square) represents a period of time, count the number of divisions on the x asis between the two peaks of a wave, and multiply it by the number of divisions.
eg: 4 divisions x 0.001s = 0.004s

Question 15

How can you calculate the frequency using an oscilloscope?

Answer 15

Use the formula:
f=1/time period of wave
eg: f= 1/ 0.004 = 250Hz

Question 16

Which parts of your ear make up your outer ear?

Answer 16

• Pinna
• Auditory canal
• Eardrum

Question 17

Which parts of your ear make up your middle ear?

Answer 17

The ossicles

Question 18

Which parts of your ear make up your inner ear?

Answer 18

• Cochlea
• Auditory nerve

Question 19

How does sound travel through in your ear

Answer 19

1. Your pinna acts as a funnel and directs sound to the auditory canal, where it reaches the ear drum
2. It then vibrates, passing the vibration to the ossicles, which amplify the sound.
3. Then the vibration is passed to the oval window, and then to the cochlea’s liquid.
4. This makes the tiny hairs on the cochlea vibrate, the specialised cells at the base of those hairs convert the vibration to an electric signal
5. The signal is taken by the auditory nerve to the brain.

Question 20

How is loudness measured?

Answer 20

• In decibels (dB)