5. What do you know about sound waves? a. Longitudinal or transverse b. Describe

Question

5. What do you know about sound waves? a. Longitudinal or transverse b. Describe how they travel in air. What happens to air molecules? Briefly explain what happens in our ears when we perceive sound? Describe the characteristics of a high amplitude sound wave. What happens to the air molecules? What happens to the ear drum when we perceive a high amplitude sound? What would it sound like compared to a low amplitude sound wave? What does a high frequency sound wave sound like? What about a low frequency sound? c. d.

Explanation / Answer

a) Sound waves are Longitudinal waves - i.e displacement of partices is in the direction of propagation of wave.

b) When a sound wave travels, we mean that the molecules are being vibrated in that medium, and that vibration is transferred from one molecule to it's adjacent thus reaching our ear, and in the ear those air molecules vibrate our eardrum in form of compressions

c) For a high amplitude wave , the amplitude of molecules from mean position is high, so they vibrate the eardrum with larger force and so we hear the sound louder than a low amplitude sound wave.

d) For a high frequency sound the drum membrane is vibrated rapidly rather than with more amplitude,here we hear a sharp sound. More like a shrill with high pitch, now for low frequency sound is more blunt and low pitch

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