NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Science

Chapter 11– Sound

Intext Exercise 1

1. How does the sound produced by a vibrating object in a medium reach your ear?

Ans: When an object vibrates, it causes the neighbouring particles in the medium to vibrate
successively. These vibrations are further passed to adjacent particles. Like ways these
vibrations are passed from particle to particle and reach our ears.

Intext Exercise 2

1. Explain how sound is produced by your school bell.

Ans: When the school bell rings, the neighbouring particles in air are forced to vibrate
simultaneously. This disturbance leads to the formation of a sound wave and when the bell
moves forward, it pushes the air in front of it. This creates a region of high pressures known
as compression. When the bell moves backwards, a region of low pressure known as
rarefaction is created. In this way the bell continues to move forward and backward which
produces a series of compressions and rarefactions. This leads to the sound of a bell when it
propagates through the air.

2. Why are sound waves called mechanical waves?

Ans: When sound waves propagate through a medium it causes the neighbouring particles to
vibrate. Sound waves propagate due to interaction of particles in the medium due to a series
of compressions and rarefactions. Hence, these waves are called mechanical waves.

3. Suppose you and your friend are on the moon. Will you be able to hear any sound
produced by your friend?

Ans: Sound waves are mechanical waves and hence need a medium to propagate. As the moon
is devoid of any atmosphere, we cannot hear any sound on the moon.

Intext Exercise 3

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

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Ans:

(a) The loudness of a sound depends on its amplitude. The higher the amplitude, the louder
the sound.

(b) The pitch of a sound depends on its frequency. The higher the frequency, higher the pitch
of sound.

2. Guess which sound has a higher pitch: guitar or car horn?

Ans: In the case of guitar, the frequency of vibration produced is greater when compared to a
car horn. Pitch of the sound depends on the frequency. The higher the frequency, the higher
the pitch. So, the guitar produces a higher pitched sound than a car horn.

Intext Exercise 4

1. What is the wavelength, frequency, time period and amplitude of a sound wave?

Ans: Following are the definitions given below:

• Wavelength: Wavelength is defined as the distance between two consecutive

compressions or two consecutive rarefactions. Its SI unit is meter (m).

• Frequency: Frequency of a sound wave is defined as the number of complete

oscillations per second. It is measured in hertz (Hz).

• Time period: Time period of a sound wave is defined as the time taken by a sound
wave to complete one cycle. Its SI unit is seconds (s).

• Amplitude: The amplitude of a sound wave is defined as the maximum extent of a

vibration, measured from the position of equilibrium.

2. How are the wavelength and frequency of a sound wave related to its speed?

Ans: Speed, wavelength, and frequency of a sound wave are related by the equation given
below:

Speed ( v ) = Wavelength (  )  Frequency ( )

 v =  

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3. Calculate the wavelength of a sound wave whose frequency is 220 Hz and speed is 440
m/s in a given medium.

Ans: In the above question it is given that:

Frequency of the sound wave is  = 220 Hz

Speed of the sound wave is v = 440 m / s

For a sound wave, Speed ( v ) = Wavelength (  )  Frequency ( )

440
 = = 2m
220
Therefore, the wavelength of the sound wave is 2 m .

4. A person is listening to a tone of 500 Hz sitting at a distance of 450 m from the source
of the sound. What is the time interval between successive compressions from the
source?

Ans: In the above question it is given that:

frequency = 500 Hz

The time interval between two successive compressions is equal to the time period of the wave.
We know that,

1 1
Time period = = = 0.002s
frequency 500

Intext Exercise 5

1. Distinguish between loudness and intensity of sound.

Ans: The intensity of a sound wave is defined as the amount of sound energy passing through
a unit area per second. The loudness or softness of a sound is determined basically by its
amplitude. The amplitude of the sound wave depends upon the force with which an object

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vibrates. Intensity helps to decide the amplitude of a sound wave, which in turn is recognized
by the ear as loudness.

Intext Exercise 6

1. In which of the three media, air, water or iron, does sound travel the fastest at a
particular temperature?

Ans: Sound travels the fastest in solids, i.e., iron followed by water and air at a particular
temperature.

Intext Exercise 7

1. An echo returned in 3 s. What is the distance of the reflecting surface from the source,
given that the speed of sound is 342 m/s?

Ans: In the above question it is given that:

Speed of sound is v = 342 m / s .

Echo returns in time, t = 3s .

Distance travelled by sound is given by: v  t = 342  3 = 1026 m

As the sound travels and gets reflected back, the distance of the reflecting surface from the
source will be:

1026
= 513 m .
2

Intext Exercise 8

1. Why are the ceilings of concert halls curved?

Ans: Ceilings of concert halls are curved so that the sound waves can spread uniformly in all
directions after reflection.

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Intext Exercise 9

1. What is the audible range of the average human ear?

Ans: The audible range of an average human ear is between 20 Hz to 20, 000 Hz . Humans
cannot hear sounds with frequency less than 20 Hz and greater than 20, 000 Hz .

2. What is the range of frequencies associated with

(a) Infrasound?

Ans: Infrasound has frequencies less than 20 Hz .

(b) Ultrasound?

Ans: Ultrasound has frequencies more than 20, 000 Hz .

NCERT Exercise

1. What is sound and how is it produced?

Ans: Sound is a form of energy which produces the sensation of hearing produced by
vibration. When an object vibrates, it causes the neighbouring particles of the medium to
vibrate which are further passed to adjacent particles. This creates a disturbance in the
medium, which travels in the form of waves. Hence, when this disturbance reaches the ear,
sound is produced.

2. Describe with the help of a diagram, how compressions and rarefactions are
produced in air near a source of sound.

Ans: Consider the figure given below:

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The most common medium through which sound travels is air. When a vibrating object moves
forward, it pushes and compresses the air forward creating a region of high pressure. This
region is called a compression (C). This compression starts to move away from the vibrating
object.

When the vibrating object moves backwards, it creates a region of low pressure called
rarefaction (R). As the object moves back and forth rapidly, a series of compressions and
rarefactions are created in the air. These make the sound wave that propagates through the
medium. Compression is the region of high pressure and rarefaction is the region of low
pressure and the pressure is related to the number of particles of a medium in a given volume.

More density of the particles in the medium gives more pressure and vice versa. Hence,
propagation of sound can be visualised as propagation of density variations or pressure
variations in the medium.

3. Why is a sound wave called a longitudinal wave?

Ans: In the case of sound waves, the particles do not move from one place to another but they
simply oscillate back and forth about their position of rest. In sound waves the individual
particles of the medium move in a direction parallel to the direction of propagation of the
disturbance. Hence, a longitudinal wave is called a sound wave.

4. Which characteristics of the sound helps you to identify your friend by his voice while
sitting with others in a dark room?

Ans: The characteristic of the sound which helps you to identify your friend by his voice while
sitting with others in a dark room is the quality or timber of sound which enables us to
distinguish one sound from another having the same pitch and loudness.

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5. Flash and thunder are produced simultaneously. But thunder is heard a few seconds
after the flash is seen. Why?

Ans: Velocity of sound is 344 m / s and that of light is 3  108 m / s . As the speed of light is
greater than that of sound, the sound of thunder requires longer time than light to reach Earth.
Therefore, before we hear thunder, a flash is seen.

6. A person has a hearing range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz . What are the typical wavelengths
of sound waves in air corresponding to these two frequencies? Take the speed of sound
in air as 344 m / s .

Ans: In the above question it is given that:

A person has a hearing range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz .Speed of sound in air is 344 m / s .We
know that: Speed = Wavelength  Frequency

 v =  

For, 1 = 20 Hz

v 344
 1 = = = 17.2m
1 20

For, 2 = 20 kHz

v 344
 2 = = = 0.0172m
2 20000

Hence, humans have the wavelength range for hearing from 0.0172 m to 17.2 m .

7. Two children are at opposite ends of an aluminium rod. One strikes the end of the rod
with a stone. Find the ratio of time taken by the sound wave in air and in aluminium to
reach the second child.

Ans: Consider the length of the aluminium rod to bed.

Speed of sound waves in aluminium at 25 C is v Al = 6420m / s .

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Therefore, time taken by the sound wave to reach the other end will be:

d d
t Al = =
v Al 6420

Speed of sound waves in air at 25 C is v Air = 346m / s .

Therefore, the time taken by a sound wave to reach the other end will be:

d d
t Air = =
v Air 346

Hence, the ratio of time taken by the sound wave in air and aluminium will be:

d
t Air 6420
= 346 = = 18.55 .
t Al d 346
6420

8. The frequency of a source of sound is 100 Hz. How many times does it vibrate in a
minute?

Ans: In the above question it is given that:

Frequency of sound is 100 Hz .

Total time = 1 min = 60 s .

We know that:Frequency is defined as the number of oscillations per second. It is given by the
relation:

Number of oscillations = Frequency  Total time

Number of oscillation = 100  60 = 6000
Hence, the source vibrates 6000 times in a minute, producing a frequency of 100 Hz .

9. Does sound follow the same laws of reflection as light does? Explain.

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Ans: The incident and the reflected sound wave create the same angle at the point of incidence
with the normal to the surface. In addition, the sound wave incident, the sound wave reflected,
and the normal sound wave to the point of incidence are all in the same plane. Hence, sound
follows the same laws of reflection as light does.

10. When a sound is reflected from a distant object, an echo is produced. Let the distance
between the reflecting surface and the source of sound production remain the same. Do
you hear the echo sound on a hotter day?

Ans: An echo is heard when the time interval between the original sound and the sound
reflected is at least 0.1s. Sound speed in a medium is directly proportional to the temperature.

Hence, time interval will be inversely directly proportional to the temperature. Therefore, the
time interval between the original sound and the sound reflected will decrease on a hotter day.

11. Give two practical applications of reflection of sound waves.

Ans: Following are the two practical applications of reflection of sound waves:

(a) SONAR: SONAR is a technology where reflection of sound is used to measure the
distance and speed of underwater objects.

(b) Stethoscope: A stethoscope is a device where the sound of the patient’s heartbeat reaches
the doctor’s ear by multiple reflection of sound.

12. A stone is dropped from the top of a tower 500 m high into a pond of water at the
base of the tower. When is the splash heard at the top? Given, g = 10 m / s 2 and
speed of sound = 340 m / s 2 .

Ans: In the above question it is given that:

Height of the tower is s = 500 m .

Velocity of sound is v = 340 m / s .

Acceleration due to gravity is g = 10 m / s 2 .

As the stone is initially at rest, initial velocity of the stone will be u = 0 m/s .

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Let the time taken by the stone to fall to the base of the tower be t1

According to the second equation of motion:

1 2
s = ut1 + gt1
2
1
(10 )( t1 )
2
 500 =
2

 ( t1 ) = 100
2

 t1 = 10 s .

Now, time taken by the sound to reach the top from the base of the tower will be

500
 t2 = = 1.47 s
340

Hence, the splash is heard at the top after time t = t1 + t2 = 10 + 1.47 = 11.47 s .

13. A sound wave travels at a speed of 339 m / s . If its wavelength is 1.5 cm, what is the
frequency of the wave? Will it be audible?

Ans: In the above question it is given that:

Speed of sound is 339 m / s .

Wavelength of sound is  = 1.5 cm = 0.015 m .

We know that: Speed of sound = Wavelength  Frequency

 v =  

Therefore frequency  will be:

v 339
 = = = 22600 Hz
 0.015

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As the frequency range of audible sound for humans lies between 20 Hz to 20, 000 Hz . Since
the frequency of the given sound is more than 20, 000 Hz , it won’t be audible.

14. What is reverberation? How can it be reduced?

Ans: Reverberation is defined as persistence of sound (after the source stops producing sound)
due to repeated reflection. When a sound is created in a big hall, it persists by repeated
reflection from the walls until it is reduced to a value where it is no longer audible.

To reduce reverberation, the roof and walls of the auditorium are generally covered with
sound-absorbent materials like compressed fiberboard, rough plaster or draperies. The seat
materials are selected based on their sound absorbing properties.

15. What is the loudness of sound? What factors does it depend on?

Ans: The measure of the response of the ear to the sound is defined as the loudness of sound.

The loudness or softness of sound is determined basically by its amplitude which depends
upon the force with which an object is made to vibrate. A loud sound has high energy.

Loudness depends on the amplitude of vibrations such that loudness is proportional to the
square of the amplitude of vibrations.

16. How is ultrasound used for cleaning?

Ans: Ultrasound waves are used for cleaning by passing through the objects kept in the
cleaning solution. Their high frequency removes dirt from the objects.

17. Explain how defects in a metal block can be detected using ultrasound.

Ans: Metallic components are generally used in construction of big structures like buildings,
bridges, machines and also scientific equipment. Ultrasounds are used to detect cracks and
flaws in metal blocks.

The cracks or holes inside the metal blocks that are invisible from outside reduce the strength
of the structure. Ultrasonic waves are allowed to pass through the metal block and detectors
are used to detect the transmitted waves.

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If there is even a small defect, the ultrasound gets reflected back. This indicates the presence
of the flaw or any defect.

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