Sound Class 8

SOUND
 Sound
o Sound is a mechanical energy which produces sensation of hearing.
o Sound is produced due to vibration of different objects.
 Production of Sound
o Sound is produced by a vibrating object.
o Vibration means a kind of rapid to and fro motion of an object.
o The sound of the human voice is produced due to vibrations in the vocal cords.
 Propagation of Sound
o The matter or substance through which sound is transmitted is called a medium. It can be
solid, liquid or gas.
o Sound moves through a medium from the point of generation to the listener.
o When an object vibrates, it sets the particles of the medium around it vibrating.
o The particles do not travel all the way from the vibrating object to the ear.
o A particle of the medium in contact with the vibrating object is first displaced from its
equilibrium position. It then exerts a force on the adjacent particle. As a result of which
the adjacent particle gets displaced from its position of rest. After displacing the adjacent
particle the first particle comes back to its original position. This process continues in the
medium till the sound reaches your ear.
o The disturbance created by a source of sound in the medium travels through the medium
and not the particles of the medium.
 Characteristics of a Sound Wave

o Wave is a disturbance which transfers energy from one point to another but not matter.
o Sound waves are longitudinal waves.
o Sound waves are produced due to variations in pressure & density of the medium.
o Sound wave propagates as compressions & rarefactions in the medium.
o Compression is the portion of the medium where a temporary increase in volume & a
increase in density take place when a sound wave passes through the medium.
o Rarefaction is the portion of the medium where a temporary increase in volume &
consequently a decrease in density takes place when sound wave passes through the
medium.
Sound propagates as density or pressure variations as shown in above figure. The second figure represents
graphically the density and pressure variations.
o Amplitude is the magnitude of the maximum disturbance in the medium on either side of the
mean position.
o Oscillation is the change in density (or pressure) from maximum value to the minimum value
and again to the maximum value.
o Frequency is the number of oscillations per unit time.
o Frequency and time period are related as follows : 𝑓=
1
𝑇
.
o Time Period is the time taken for one complete oscillation in density (or pressure) of the
medium.
o Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive compressions or two consecutive
rarefactions.
 Characteristics of Sound
o Loudness - The loudness or softness of a sound is determined basically by its amplitude.
o Pitch – It is related to the frequency of sound wave.
o Quality or timbre -It is that characteristic which enables us to distinguish one sound from
another having the same pitch and loudness. The sound which is more pleasant is said to be
of a rich quality
 A sound of single frequency is called a tone.
 The sound which is produced due to a mixture of several frequencies is called a
note.
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOUDNESS AND INTENSITY OF SOUND
o LOUDNESS -
1) It is subjective quantity. This means that a sound may be loud for one person and may be
faint for
another person.
2) It cannot be measured as it is just sensation that can be only felt.
3) Loudness is measured in decibel (dB).
4) Loudness depends upon sensitivity of one's ears.
o INTENSITY- The amount of sound energy passing each second through unit area is called
the intensity of sound.
1) It is objective physical quantity. It means that it doesn't vary person to person.
2) It can be measures as a physical quantity.
3) Intensity of any sound is measured in watts per square meter (Wm-2)
4) It doesn't depend upon sensitivity of one's ears.
 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
o Musical instruments are categorized into three types:

Stringed instruments, wind instruments and percussion instruments.
Stringed instruments:
Stringed instruments make use of a string or wire to produce vibrations and sound.
The frequency of sound is varied by varying the length of the vibrating wire.
In a sitar, the shorter the length of the wire, the higher the pitch it produces.
Wind instruments:
Wind instruments use the principle of a vibrating air column to produce sound.
The frequency is varied by changing the length of the vibrating air column.
Flute, shehnai and clarinet are some well known wind instruments.
Percussion instruments:
They are instruments in which vibrations of a stretched animal hide produce sound.
The frequency of vibration can be increased by stretching the hide more.
Table, drums and mrindangam are some examples of percussion instrument.
 Speed of sound
o The speed of sound depends on the properties of the medium through which it travels.
o The speed of sound in amedium depends on temperature of the medium. In any medium as
we increase the temperature, the speed of sound increases.
o The speed of sound decreases when we go from solid to gaseous state.
 Reflection of Sound
o An Echo is the phenomenon of repetition of sound of a source by reflection from an
obstacle.
o Multiple echoes are heard when sound is repeatedly reflected from a number of obstacles at
suitable distance. Megaphone, stethoscope ear trumpet, hearing aid etc are based on
phenomenon of multiple reflection of sound.
o Range of Frequencies
o Audible range of hearing of average human being is in the frequency range of 20Hz to
20KHz.
o Infrasound has a frequency below 20Hz.
o Ultrasound has a frequency above 20 kHz. Ultrasound finds application in industry, medical
service & communications.
 Human Ear
o Outer ear called the pinna collects sound waves.

o Middle ear amplifies the sound waves. The vibrations are amplified several times by three
bones (the hammer, anvil and stirrup) in the middle ear.
o Inner ear converts the amplified sound energy into electrical signals by the cochlea &
conveys to the brain as nerve impulse for interpretation.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. How is sound produced?
2. What is the time period of sound wave?
3. Define frequency sand its SI unit.
4. The frequency of a source of sound is 100Hz. How many times does it vibrate in a minute?
5. Define amplitude of sound water.
6. What is pitch?
7. Sound cannot travel in vacuum. Describe an experiment to demonstrate this.
8. What is the audible range of frequency for human beings?

9. Distinguish between tone, note, and noise.
10. How can we distinguish one sound from another having the same pitch and loudness?
11. What are ultrasonic and infrasonic sound waves?
12. What should be the time interval between the originated sound and the reflected sound to hear
echo distinctly?
13. A child watching Dussehra from a distance sees the effigy of Ravana burst into flames and hears
the explosion associated with it 2 sec after that. How far was he from the effigy if the speed of
sound in air that night was 335m/s?
14. What is the minimum distance required to hear distinct echo? What do we not hear echo in a
small room? Give two applications of echo.
15. An echo is heard on a day when temperature is about 220C. Will the echo be heard sooner or later
if temperature falls to 40C?
16. Give three uses of ultrasound.
17. How sound waves travel through some medium?
18. Why a sound cannot be heard on the moon?
19. Which of the following sound waves can we hear: 50 Hz, 100 Hz, 1500 Hz, 12000 Hz, 25000
Hz?
20. Which wave property determines (a) loudness, (b) pitch?

Sound Class 8

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SOUND

 Characteristics of a Sound Wave

o Pitch – It is related to the frequency of sound wave.

o Musical instruments are categorized into three types:

o Outer ear called the pinna collects sound waves.

1. How is sound produced?

2. What is the time period of sound wave?

3. Define frequency sand its SI unit.

5. Define amplitude of sound water.

7. Sound cannot travel in vacuum. Describe an experiment to demonstrate this.

8. What is the audible range of frequency for human beings?

11. What are ultrasonic and infrasonic sound waves?

16. Give three uses of ultrasound.

17. How sound waves travel through some medium?

18. Why a sound cannot be heard on the moon?

20. Which wave property determines (a) loudness, (b) pitch?

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