Topic 3 - Sound Waves (Paper 2) Flashcards
1
Q
what do sound wave recievers do?
A
pick up sound waves travelling though the air
2
Q
what is an example of a sound wave reciever?
A
microphone
3
Q
what do microphones do?
A
convert sound waves into electrical signals
4
Q
how would you display sound waves?
A
plug the microphone into an oscilloscope
5
Q
what is an oscilloscope?
A
a device which can display the microphone signal as a trace on a screen
6
Q
what does an increase in the amplitude of a sound wave mean?
A
the sound will be louder
7
Q
what does an increase in the frequency of a sound wave mean?
A
the sound will be higher pitched
8
Q
what does the horizontal axis on the oscilloscope display?
A
its time
9
Q
how would you use an oscilloscope to measure the speed of sound?
A
- attach 2 microphones to an oscilloscope
- start with both microphones next to a speaker, then slowly move one away until the 2 waves are aligned on the display
- measure the distance between the microphones to find the wavelength, and therefore the speed
