Sound Waves

Sound waves are characterized by the generic properties of waves, which are frequency, wavelength, period, amplitude, intensity, speed, and direction (sometimes speed and direction are combined as a velocity vector, or wavelength and direction are combined as a wave vector). Sound waves require a medium to travel through, like air or water. It is composed of longitudinal wave and here we talk of compressions and rarefactions (ie Mechanical Vibrations).

Speed of Sound

The speed of sound stays constant regardless of frequency or wavelength within a specific medium. The speed of sound does however vary depending on the medium it travels through. The speed of sound in air is 340 m/s.

Sound Spectrum

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Ultrasound_range_diagram.png

Infrasound

Frequency Range:

(Audible or Acoustic) Sound

Sound that is detectable by the normal healthy human ear.

Frequency Range:

Human Ear

Complex Sound waves

http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/aencmed/targets/images/scp/T050092A.gif

Complex sounds

Ultrasound

Frequency Range:

Comparison of Sound and Light

	SOUND WAVES	LIGHT WAVES
VELOCITY IN AIR	APPROXIMATELY 1,100 FEET PER SECOND	APPROXIMATELY 186,000 MILES PER SECOND
FORM	A FORM OF WAVE MOTION	A FORM OF WAVE MOTION
WAVE COMPOSITION	LONGITUDINAL	TRANSVERSE
TRANSMITTING MEDIUM	ALL SUBSTANCES	EMPTY SPACE AND ALL SUBSTANCES EXCEPT OPAQUE MATERIALS
RELATION OF TRANSMITTING MEDIUM VELOCITY TO VELOCITY	THE DENSER THE MEDIUM, THE GREATER THE SPEED	THE DENSER THE MEDIUM, THE SLOWER THE SPEED
SENSATIONS PRODUCED	HEARING	SEEING
VARIATIONS IN SENSATIONS PRODUCED	A LOW FREQUENCY CAUSES A LOW NOTE; A HIGH FREQUENCY, A HIGH NOTE	A LOW FREQUENCY CAUSES RED LIGHT; A HIGH FREQUENCY, VIOLET LIGHT

Sound Waves Simulation

sound (acoustic) simulation (java)

FYI

Heres a link thats like an online interactive textbook. Will answer any questions you might have..: http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/waves/wavestoc.html (dhic014)

A link to Harmonic motion waves, close ended and open ended: Harmonic Motion (Aand065)

A link to the Introduction of Physics of Sound: http://www.podcomplex.com/guide/physics.html (amul050)

here is a link to understanding sound waves. shows how sound goes through different materials. easy to understand. http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Sound/speedinmaterials.htm (aiye004)

A link that has very useful notes on waves, eg: dropper effects, different types of wave( light, sound , electro magnetic ) etc.... http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/sound.htm

A link to Longitudinal and Transverse Wave Motion: http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/Demos/waves/wavemotion.html

Here is a link to help with fundamental frequency and harmonics: http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/Class/sound/u11l4d.html