Sound Waves

By: Sameera and Srinitya

Lights, Camera, Action

9TH GRADE SCIENCE
Introduction

What are sound waves?

A sound wave is essentially a pattern of interruption that is generated by the movement

of energy that travels through any sort of medium; solid, liquid or air as it reproduces
away from the sound source. This source is basically an object that causes vibration, eg-
a phone that is ringing, it produces sound that causes some type of vibration. The
vibration disturbs the neighbouring particles and this causes some sort of chain reaction
in relation to the particles disturbing each other. This pattern of disturbance generates
an outward movement wave pattern and the wave carries sound energy through the
particular medium in every direction. Sound waves consists of areas of high and low
pressures, known as compressions and refractions.

Types of Sound waves:

As waves come in various different shapes and forms. Even though waves can share
similar or same properties, they can be distinguished through some properties that can
be observable and some that cannot be seen by the human eye. Sound waves are
categorised into three types:

Transverse Waves:

A transverse wave is a wave in which particles of the medium move in a direction

perpendicular to the direction that the wave moves. For example, a slinky is stretched
horizontally and that a pulse starts to appear on the left end of the slinky through the
vibration of the first coil in and up and down motion. Through this action, energy will be
carried from left to right. While the energy is moved from left to right, there will be a
shift in the coils of the slinky upwards and downwards. In this scenario, the particles of
the medium, which is the slinky, move perpendicular to the movement of the pulse. This
is known as a transverse wave.

Longitudinal Waves:

In a longitudinal wave, the wave particles of a medium move parallel to the direction of
movement of a wave. For example, a slinky is stretched horizontally and a pulse starts to
appear towards the left end through the vibration of the first coil in a left to right motion.
There will be a movement of energy from left to right because of this action. Through
this, there will be a dislocation of the coils and they will shift leftwards and rightwards.
In this scenario, the particles of the medium, which is the slinky, move parallel to the
movement of the pulse. This is known as a longitudinal wave.

Surface Waves:

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In surface waves, the particles in a medium travel in a circular motion. Surface waves
are relatively different to longitudinal and transverse waves. In longitudinal waves and
transverse waves, the particles in the whole medium travel in either perpendicular or
parallel direction compared to the way of energy movement. Although, in a surface
wave, only the particles in the surface of the object travel in a circular motion. The
movement of the particles usually decrease as one increases more from the surface.

History of Sound Waves:

Sound was first discovered in the sixth century B.C.E by Pythagoras, a Greek
mathematician and philosopher. He stated that there was a relationship between the
length of a vibrating string and the tone it releases, which is what is known now as the
first law of strings. It is not confirmed now but we assume that Pythagoras may have also
understood that the sense of sound is caused due to its vibrations. Quite recently after his
discovery, it was acknowledged that this sense relies on the vibrations that move through
air and strikes the eardrum. At around 1640, Marin Mersenne, a French mathematician
initiated the first experiment to regulate the speed of sound travelling through air.
Mersenne is also acknowledged with recognising both the second and third law of
strings. In 1660, Robert Boyle, a British scientist, validated that the movement of sound
can only be done with a specific medium. Ernst Chladni, a German physicist, thoroughly
analysed sound-producing vibrations around the time of late 1700s and early 1800s.
Fourier, a French mathematician discovered that these intricated waves are composed of
simple periodic waves in 1801. Vast amounts of work on waves was done during the 19th
century. An English physicist called Thomas Young researched on the terms diffraction
and interference. Christian Johann Doppler of Austria developed the mathematical
connection between the frequencies of waves when the source of the waves are moving
to the observer.

How are they produced?

Sound is produced from vibration, this vibration is caused when one vibrating body
spreads around the medium, thus it vibrates. The vibrations in the air are called
travelling longitudinal waves, which we can hear. When sound waves are produced by
an object, the vibration transfers energy into the air or to another medium. When the
vibrating object moves forward, it is known as compression and when it moves
backward it leaves a space where the air can expand, known as refractions. These are
produced by the vibrations, which travels away from the source of the vibration through
the air. However this process can be reversed, for example when sound waves arrive to
a listener. The compressed air waves push against the eardrums, while the rarefied air
behind the waves allows it to vibrate outwards. Then this movement of the eardrum is
transmitted to the brain that interprets the vibration as a sound.

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 How do sound waves travel through solids, liquids and gases?

Sound waves needs to travel through a medium, like solid, liquid or gas. Sound waves
travel through these mediums from the vibration in the molecules in the matter. The
molecules in a solid are packed very tightly, in liquids the molecules arent packed as
tightly as solids and molecules in gases are loosely packed. The spacing and
arrangements of these molecules enables sound to travel faster through a solid than a
gas. Sound travels approximately four times faster and farther in water than in air.
Hence, why whales can communicate over huge distances in the oceans. Sound waves
travel faster on hotter days as the molecules bump into each other more compared on
cold days. Sound travels through water faster than air because water is a denser medium
than air. A pressure wave propagates when the molecules in the wave strike other
molecules, the more molecules that are striked, the faster the wave travel. If water has
more molecules than air, sound would travel faster. However, sound waves travel the
fastest through dense, solid objects. When sound travels through solids, they form a
transverse wave instead of a compression wave, since the energy required to compress
solid material is a lot more in comparison to compress a liquid or gaseous material.

Where do we see/use sound waves and how does it affect our daily lives?

Sound waves are used throughout our everyday lives and are used in many ways.

A few being :

- Sonars which are systems for the detection of underwater objects by releasing sound
pulses. Marine mammals and bats use sonar location and the people in the military use
sonar locations in planes and submarines.
- Sound waves are used when exploring and searching for minerals and also to aid when
locating for minerals and types of rock formations
- Sound waves are used in consumer goods such as telephones, televisions and other
communication related electronic devices. Sound waves are used when transmitting the
waves from one person to the other in phones and in televisions, when transmitting the
waves into our eardrums.

Sound waves affect our daily lives as it allow us to hear anything. Without sound waves,
we would find it incredibly difficult to hear things and this is a concern as we use sound
almost every minute every day.

Explain the importance of sound waves in the movie/ technology industry?

As sound waves can travel through air from a source that causes vibration and these
particular vibrations interrupt neighbouring particles similarly to chain reactions, this
pattern produces an outward movement wave trend and the wave carries out sound

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 energy in every direction. When watching movies, this is essentially how we can hear
sound entering our ear drums as well as how sound is produced. Sound is vital in the
movie industry as without sound, we cant hear the movie. Sound can portray various
emotions that are being conveyed in a movie through the tone and pitch of the sound.
For example, a low tone can portray emotions of sadness or anxiousness whereas a high
tone can portray emotions of excitement and happiness. Without sound, the contrast in
emotions portrayed cannot be differentiated. The pitch of the sound can also display
mood and situation of a scene. Sound is essential in movies as the two types of sounds:
diegetic and non-diegetic sound effects also shape a movie as they can create a specific
mood around us. They enhance mainly the mood and atmosphere of a scene of a movie
without the use of dialogue. Essentially, without sound, we cannot understand the movie
as clear as possible and the emotions that the movie conveys cannot be displayed and
enhanced to the fullest.

Experiment: Coffee- Can Cuica

AIM

To represent how sound waves are produced through constructing an African

instrument at home. We are demonstrating how sound can be produced and how they
are caused through vibrations.

HYPOTHESIS

We think that the experiment will turn out to be successful, there will be sound that will
be produced from the object although we think that the sound wont vary even with
different materials.

VARIABLES

Independent Variable: The fabrics: cotton, satin silk and flanatte

Dependent Variable: The type of sound it will make.

Controlled Variable: The object and its components will remain the same.

MATERIALS

1. Empty can- Coffee Can

2. Can opener
3. Duct tape
4. Skewer
5. Scissor
6. Hot glue gun and the glue sticks

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7. A damp cloth 5 by 5 centimetres
8. Video camera

PROCEDURE

1. Detach the lid from the coffee can and place it next to the can. Using a can opener, carve
the bottom of the can to make the can look similar to a cylinder.
2. Using a scissor, poke a tiny hole in the centre of the cans lid. The hole must be small
enough to poke a skewer in it tightly.
3. Push the skewer through the hole in the lid- about 1.25 cm.
4. Using duct tape, stick tape around the top of the skewer and lid, to prevent it from
dropping off.
5. Fit the skewer-lid on the can tightly.
6. Move the fabric up and down on the skewer that is attached on the lid, this causes
friction that makes a sound.
7. Repeat the experiment, using different fabrics on the skewer and observe and record the
noise it makes.
8. Videotape the entire experiment.

DIAGRAMS

RESULTS/OBSERVATIONS

The experiment successfully portrayed how sound is produced through sound waves and
the vibrations that cause this. We observed that rubbing the cloth to the bamboo stick to
create sound was much louder if we rubbed it in a fast pace as well as putting a lot of
force into it. The sound that was produced was a loud and screechy.

DISCUSSION
The experiment was successful although there were safety issues regarding it. There is a
huge risk in this experiment of cutting yourself when carving out one end of the can and

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 using scissors in making the hole in the lid as they are two very sharp tools and one can
get really hurt when using it inappropriately as if used inappropriately, there are
chances of being pricked. Also, using the tools correctly and holding it in a correct
manner is vital as hurting yourself while using these sharp corners is another possibility.
Other than this, the experiment was fair and effectively demonstrated sound waves.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the experiment was successful and it did demonstrate how sound is
produced through sound waves and the vibrations that cause this. The results did
support our hypothesis and it did display how sound is produced with items found at
home.

Sound is basically a vibration that travels. When you quickly rub the bamboo skewer
with a wet cloth, the cloth sticks to the skewer and slides along the sides of the skewer,
creating the vibrations. Even though the vibrations start in the skewer, the skewer isnt
the only part vibrating, the whole instrument is vibrating.Moreover, the empty space
that is surrounding the skewer inside the can acts similar to the inside of a drum, making
an air pocket in which sounds can vibrate, build and make louder. Both skewer and lid
produces the sound and the hollow metal amplifies it.

REFERENCES

1. https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/coffee-can-cuica
2. https://method-behind-the-music.com/mechanics/physics/
3. https://www.reference.com/science/sound-waves-produced-c2c60ca02699acfe#
4. http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-1/Categories-of-Waves
5. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/biomusic/6517
6. https://www.reference.com/science/sound-waves-kwtravel-475e84dc5eec7cfe#
7. https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090301044351AAUePW2

Evaluation

EVALUATION OF EXPERIMENTAL METHOD

EVALUATION OF VIDEO PRODUCTION

EVALUATION OF GROUP PROCESSES