07

Light and sound

At the end of this chapter, you will be competent to...

Apply the various properties and behaviours of light for the welfare of man. Use principles of production and transmission of sound to produce musical instruments. Investigate the scientific basis of the modern communication systems.

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7.1 Using properties of light to fulfil human needs

Light has a wonderful ability to control our daily activities. During daytime we become active while in the night we go to sleep. We have to conduct many activities in the dark too. In such instances we have to use suitable light sources in order to get light. Objects that produce light are called luminous objects. Objects that do not produce light are called non-luminous objects. Think of the objects around us and see whether we have more luminous objects than non-luminous objects. Some examples of luminous objects and non-luminous objects around us are given below in Table 7.1.
Table 7.1 Some luminous and non-luminous objects

Luminous objects 1. Sun 2. Lighted bulb 3. Lighted lamp 4. Glowing bulb Think !

Non luminous objects 1. 2. 3. 4. Moon Stone Paper Planets

Why is the moon considered a non luminous object? We use sources of light to see objects around us. In order to see some objects, only our eyes is not sufficient. Let us see why light is also necessary to see objects.

7.1.2 Necessity of light for seing

In a dark room we can not see anything. If we are to see any objects in the dark it must be a luminous body or else it must be lit up. For this we need a source of light. Light from the source falls on the object and is reflected to our eyes. Then we can see the object. 183

Fig. 7.1

Do you know?

Fig. 7.2 - Firefly

Fig. 7.3 - Mushrooms

There are animals that produce light. These are animals can be considered as luminous. Fireflies and glow worms are some examples. They produce light from a place on the underside of their abdomen. Certain types of fish that live deep in the ocean also produce light. Certain kinds of mushrooms and some bacteria too produce light. Beams of light, rays of light and the path of light

You would have seen the beam of light when a torch is lit. (Fig 7.4)
Fig. 7.4 - A beam of light

Beams can be more clearly seen when there is dust or mist in the environment. Beams of sunlight coming through trees is a common sight on a misty morning. (Fig. 7.5)
Fig. 7.5 - Beams of sunlight

A beam of light is made up of several rays of light. You can obtain narrow beams of light needed for practical purposes by placing a comb or piece of cardboard with narrow slits on the path of a broad beam of light. Let us do the following activity to find the path of light. 184

Fig. 7.6 - Narrow beams of sunlight

Activity - 7.1 To demonstrate light travels in straight lines.

3 2 1 Find three similar pieces of cardboard cards, candle, a pin and box of matches. Place the three cards together and pierce all three at the same height using the pin. Place the cards at certain distances from each other so that the holes are in a straight line. Place a lighted candle in front of the last card. Look through the first card. Can you see the light from the candle? Now displace the second card sideways and observe the flame through the pinhole. Can you see it? According to your observations what conclusion can you come to regarding the path of light? Flame is visible only when the pinholes are in the same horizontal line.

7.1.3 Properties of light

You may recall how you had great fun by directing light falling on a mirror in several directions such as on walls. You may also have seen how shining metal sheets are held around the field of action during the shooting of films or teledramas. (Fig 7.7) This is done to re divert the direction of light on to the scene and light them up. Here the function of the metal sheets, similar to the mirror is to reflect light. Let us learn more about reflection. 185

Fig. 7.7 - Shooting a teledrama

Reflection of light A beam of light falls on a surface and travels back in another direction. This phenomenon is called reflection of light. Shiny smooth surfaces such as mirrors (Fig. 7.8) reflect light well. Example: mirrors, stagnant water surfaces.

plane mirror

Fig. 7.8 - Regular reflection

All polished surfaces do not reflect light to the same extent. When a parallel beam of light falls on a shiny surface, the beam is reflected back and travels back as a parallel beam. This is called regular reflection. (Fig 7.8) Fig. 7.9 - Irregular reflection When a beam of light strikes a rough surface, reflection is not uniform as in regular reflection. Light gets scattered there. This is called irregular reflection. (Fig. 7.9) We use the phenomenon of reflection often in our daily life. Examples : Use of plane mirrors as looking glasses. To multiply the numbers of objects in shops. (Fig. 7.10) For looking at objects behind us, as in a barbers shop to see the back of the head. 186

Fig. 7.10 - A shop use of plane mirrors

Kaleidoscope Can you recall an instance when you observed various beautiful patterns using a toy kaleidoscope made out of three strips of mirrors? These patterns in the kaleidoscope is due to reflection of light. You too can make a kaleidoscope. (Fig. 7.11)

black paper

Fig. 7.11 - Kaleidoscope

Assignment - 1 Find three strips of plane mirrors of equal size (6cm x 2cm), one half sheet, a tissue paper and gum tape. Fix the plane mirrors in the shape of a triangle as shown in the figure. Wrap them in a paper and fix with gum tape. Cover one end with the tissue paper and fix with gum tape. Introduce bits of coloured material such as petals of flowers, colour paper etc. and observe the different patterns formed. You may change the patterns by turning the kaleidoscope. Try to count the number of patterns made with one flower petal.

Periscope

This is an instrument used for looking at objects at a higher level from a lower level. E.g. in submarines, bunkers. You too can make a periscope using two plane mirrors. (Fig 7.12) 187

Fig. 7.12 - Periscope

Refraction of light A glass full of water was placed on a sheet of printed paper spread on a table. Amal, looking at it from above saw that the letters under the glass appeared large and uplifted. The reason for this was a problem for Amal. On checking with the science teacher he was told that it was a result of refraction of light. Let us find out what refraction of light is. Refraction is another kind of behaviour of light. When rays of light travelling through one medium are incident obliquely on the surface of another transparent medium, the light rays bend. This bending of light or the change in direction of light when it passes from one medium to another is called refraction. Let us identify what happens when light rays strike a glass block. Activity - 7. 2 Find a white sheet of paper, a glass block, a plane mirror, piece of cardboard with a slit to enable to obtain a narrow beam of light, a drawing pin. Place the white paper on the table and keep the glass block on the paper. Direct a narrow beam of light on to the glass block. A laser beam can be used for this purpose. Observe the path of the narrow beam of light. 188

The way in which light rays get refracted when it travels from air to galss and from glass to air can be observed clearly. A photograph of the path of a beam of light through a glass block is given in Fig 7.13. When a beam of light goes into water from air, and when it leaves the Fig. 7.13 - Way in which a ray of light is refracted water and goes back into air it undergoes refraction of this nature. This can be observed by directing a beam of light through a glass filled with water. Activity - 7. 3 Project a narrow beem of light to the water in a transparent plastic vessel. Observe the path of the light beam. Now let us find out what happens when a beam of light is sent through a prism. Activity - 7. 4 Find a plane mirror and a prism (60 x 60 x 60). Project a narrow beam of sunlight to the rectangular surface of the prism. Allow the beam to fall on a wall or a screen. What can you observe? When a narrow beam of sunlight is sent through a prism, it can be observed that the beam gets separated in to different colours. (Seven colours) (Fig. 7.14) These set of seven colours obtained on the screen is called the Fig. 7.14 A beam of light seperated into seven colours spectrum. The seven colours of the spectrum are as shown in the diagram. In the spectrum the seven colours are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Therefore, we can conclude that white light is composed of seven colours. 189

Do you know? It was Sir Issac Newton who discovered that light consists of seven different colours for the first time. Some phenomena connected with refraction Certain phenomena caused by refraction of light are experienced in daily life. Some of them are listed below. Mirage is a common phenomenon that can be seen on tarred roads on warm days. Rainbow Do you Know ? Have you ever thought why during day time, objects have various colours. e.g. red. It is because, all the other colours in white light are absorbed by that object and only the red colour is reflected out. We can explain how other colours are seen in this manner. The surfaces which absorb all the seven colours in light are seen as black, and surfaces which reflect all the seven colours in light are seen as white.

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7.2 Production of sound propogation and musical instruments

Listen to the various sounds that are present around you. You will hear all sorts of sounds. How is sound produced? Hang a small pith ball near a gong of a bell. Now ring the bell and observe what happens to the pith ball. You will be able to observe that the pith ball starts vibrating. It is clear that the gong of the bell is vibrating. If you touch a ringing bell with your hand, the ringing stops. Fig 7.15 Why? Sound is produced by means of vibrations. When you touch, vibrations stop. Therefore production of sound also stops. This shows that sound is produced due to vibrations (Fig 7.15). Frequency of sound Frequency is the rate at which an object vibrates. It can be expressed as the vibrations occurring in a unit time. If one vibration occurs in one second then the frequency is 1 Hz. Allow the metal blade in Fig 7.16 to vibrate. Its Median position is A. If it moves from A to B first, then again it goes to C via A and comes back to A, then one vibration has taken place. If the number of vibrations occurring in one second is 100, the frequency is said to be 100 Hz. Limits of hearing Do we hear all the sounds? We hear only a range of frequencies, i.e. from 20 Hz to 20000 Hz. We do not hear the sounds of frequencies below 20 Hz or above 20000 Hz. Sound produced by a source of sound is propogated (transmitted) to distant places from the origin of sound. To do so, there should be a medium. The sounds we hear are transmitted through air. Air is not the only medium through which sound travels. Sound travels through other media such as water, wood, metals, etc. 191

Fig 7.16

7.2.2 Propogation of sound

Arrange the apparatus as shown in the diagram. An electric bell is kept inside a bell jar containing air. Air in the jar can be removed by using a vacuum pump. Switch on the bell. The sound can be heard from out side. Now remove air using the vacuum pump. As air is removed, the sound of the electric bell gets weaker and weaker finally it is not heard any more. The reason is that now there is no medium (air) for sound waves to travel. This shows that a medium is necessary for sound to travel.

bell jar

to the vacuum pump Fig 7.17

7.2.3 Sources of sound

Instruments that produce sound are called sources of sound. Musical instruments are sources of sound that we come across all the time. Some musical instruments produce sound by vibration of strings, some by vibration of membranes while some produce sound by vibration of air columns. Producing sound by vibrating strings In musical instruments such as violin, guitar. sitar and mandolin sound is produced by the vibration of strings. (vibrating strings) These instruments have a box made up of thin wood called the sound box. Strings are fixed on the sound box. A bridge is also fixed on the box to prevent the strings touching the box. Sound is produced by stroking or plucking at these strings.

Fig. 7.18 - Instruments which produce sound by vibration of strings

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Producing sound by vibrating membranes Some examples for these instruments are drums, tabla, dolak, rabana, symbols. These instruments have stretched membranes. They are played by tapping or striking the membranes.

Fig. 7.19 - Instruments which produce sound by vibration of membranes

Producing sound by vibrating air columns You are familiar with whistles made by tender coconut leaves. When you blow the sound is produced by vibration of the air column inside the whistle. Flute, piano, clarinet, trumpet are some other examples for such instruments. In these instruments sound is produced by vibrating air columns.

Fig. 7.20 - Instruments which produce sound by vibration of air columns

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7.3 Methods of communication.

Various methods of communication are observed among the animals in our environment. The singing of birds that you hear early morning as you get up is also a mode of communication. These birds cry out in the morning to indicate their territory to the other birds, of their kind. Observe the behaviour of ants carefully. You will notice that two ants when they meet keep their mouths close together and communicate with each other. By observing the behaviour of dogs, you may see that they too have a way of communicating with each other. Man being a social animal, too had the necessity to communicate with each other from distant past. Also, they needed to spread their messages as far as possible. At the beginning, man conveyed his ideas by shouting out the message as loud as possible to be heard by distant people. This kind of communication method which prevailed in the past is of a very simple type. Let us think of some simple methods of communication in the past.

Fig 7.21 - A man shouting out loud, and a man lighting a bon - fire.

Tieing up the message to the arrow and releasing the arrow. Lighting up bon - fires on tops of mountains. Sending the message by messengers on horse - back. Using birds such as pigeons to carry the message Making noises by drums. Using coloured flags to convey messages. Using light signals to convey messages.

Assignment - 2 Collect information about the different methods of communication that were used in the past and prepare a booklet. 194

From a primitive state, communication technology has progressed to great extents so that now we can send messages to any part of the world within seconds. Let us inquire about this progress step by step. Telegraph With the production of electricity, scientists attempted to use it for purposes of sending messages. In this respect telegraph was an extreamely succesful attempt. Dr. Samuel Morse who was a professor in New York University was the first person to discover that messages would be transmitted along wires in the year 1835. Fig 7. 22 Morse developed a machine where markings could be made on Samuel Morse a strip of paper placed at a distance, by processing a switch on and off an electric circuit. Morse also developed The Morse signal code where dots and lines were used to represent the letters of the English alphabet and numbers from 1-9.

Fig 7. 23 - Morse code

Telegraph circuit

This method where electric wires or cables are used to convey messages is called the telegraph method. Here a dot is made by pressing the switch of a circuit at once and releasing it, and a line is made by keeping it for a short time. This message is made to make an impression on a moving strip of paper. Later it is necessary to translate this into words. In expressing the Morse signals in words they are sounded as follows: DIT DAH 195

Example 1. SUN
DIT DIT DIT

DIT DIT

DAH DAH DIT

2.

GOD

DAH DIT DIT

DAH DAH DIT

DAH DAH DAH

3.

A popular Morse signal is the SOS signal issued by ships in distress. S

DIT DIT DIT

O
DAH DAH DAH

S
DIT DIT DIT

Assignment - 3 Write the word MORSE CODE using the Morse signals given in the Fig 7.23. Do you know? The Braille alphabet was introduced by Louis Brail to facilitate communication among people with visual disabilities. The English Braille system is given below.

Fig 7. 24 - Braille alphabet

Fig 7. 25 - Reading Braille Letters

A Strange incident An American motorist noticed that the brake lights of the vehicle which was in front of him was switching on and off , continousely and in a particular rhythm. He was aware of the Morse signal and identified that it was a SOS message. He realised that the driver of the vehicle in front was in some distress and he informed the police. The police officer stopped the vehicle, and noticed that a thief was holding a pistol at the driver and was taking him to some destination by force. 196

Since the driver in the car behind knew of the Morse code he could save a grave situation. Even in our country, at the beginning of the Postal Department the Morse Code was used to convey telegraph messages. At a certain period of time the telegraph method was popular throughout the world. The disadvantages of this method was that a translator was needed for converting the message to Morse method, and to convert the message conveyed to the language in use. To overcome these problems, in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone where the message was conveyed by voice. Telephone In the telephone, a microphone and an earphone are enclosed in the same machine. The sound waves (Voice) received by the microphone causes increases or decreases in the current which are transmitted through the wire to the telephone of the receiver. Here the changes in the current is converted to sound. From recent time cord - less telephones or cell phones are being used.

Fig 7. 26 - Telephone

Do you know ? During lightning it is dangerous to use telephones with wires. If lightning strikes the telephone wires, they will get transmitted along the wires and cause damage to the instrument as well as the user of the telephone. Therefore at times of lightning it is safer to disconnect your telephone. Fax machine The telephone is a very useful machine but there are occasions where messages cannot be communicated accurately by this method. At times due to disturbances in the place of origin or at the recieving end the message may not be clear. Further the accent of the speaker may also have an effect. These problems are overcome by sending written messages from one place to another, using the fax machine. This was invented by a German (Arthur Korn) in 1907. The word FACIMILE is written in a shortened form as Fig 7. 27- Fax machine FAX. 197

A written message introduced into the fax machine is read line by line by the scanner in the machine, and converted to electric signals. These are transmitted by telephone lines to the recieving end, where it is retranslated into words, which is obtained on paper. Hence the message received is very similar to the message sent. Internet Internet can be known as a hybrid of telephone and computer. Computer is a machine which can store a large amount of information, and which can synthesise the data on orders of the user. A large amount of information can be stored in one computer. There are methods by which data can be shared between sevaral computers, that is by networking.

Fig 7.28 Internet symbol

Think of the amount of data that could be obtained by networking the data in all the computers in a country . A network of about 50 million computers in about 150 countries are joined togerther in the internet ie.NETWORK OF NETWORKS. The symbol used to indicate internet on the computer screen is as shown in Fig 7.28. The letter e indicates infinity. The circle round it indicates that the entire universe can be reached by the internet. Assignment - 4 Prepare a small booklet on the topic The uses of internet? Do you know? There is a popular saying as follows: If you did not live in a dark cave in a lonely island you should know about the internet. You can obtain all the information about any incidence that occured in any part of the world from prehistoric times to a few seconds from now if you log on to world wide web (www) connected to the internet. We also can enter information into the internet. Many schools in Sri Lanka too have initiated web files in the internet. Such a web page is indicated below. 198

Some Useful web sites are as follows: Ministry of Education - www. moe.gov.lk Education Publication Depatment - www. edupub.gov.lk Examination Depatment - www. doenets.lk National Institute Education - www. nie.lk NASA Institute - www. nasa.gov

Home Page of a school web site

E- mail Sending messages from one computer to another using the internet is called E - mail is so efficient that compared to the speed of the e-mail, the postal services can be considered as SNAIL - MAIL. In this type of communication, paper, envelopes, stamps or a postal service is not necessary. Here the letter is typed on the computer screen, and by pressing a single button the massage can be transmitted to any part of the world. Assignment - 5 Prepare a table to compare features of an e-mail with those of ordinary post. Take the workforce of receivers/cost/speed into consideration. Some useful E mail addresses are indicated below: Poison Centre poisons@sltnet.lk Zoological gardens zoosl@slt.lk Museaum nmdep@slt.lk 199

Exercises 1) Following are the statements given by a student about his experiences. Answer the questions using those statements. Your answer should be based on the properties and behaviour of light. I. Though it is easy to look at a rough paper on which a beam of light is fallen. It is difficult to look at a mirror on which a beam of light is fallen. Why is that? II. Various shadows of figures can be created by keeping hands across the path of beam of a light. One of the reasons for shadows is that light does not go through the hands. Write another reason. III. The real depth of a river is higher than the apparent depth. a) What property of light causes this? b) State the connection between the size of apparent size and the real size of an object in the bottom of a deep river. AB indicates a ray of light coming from an object in the bottom of a river. What is the way it comes to our eye BC, BD or BE? C D E

B
apparent state

A real state

2) Sound travels through various media like air, water and metal. A) i. Voice cannot be heard on the moon, as on the earth. Why? ii. Though the sounds of a distant train cannot be heard through air it can be heard by keeping ear on a bar of metal, which is placed so that it touches the rail. Why? iii. Why do the doors and windows of houses vibrate when thundering? B) We cannot hear the sound of all the vibrating frequencies. i. Define vibrating frequency? ii. What is the range of frequencies of human? iii. Name an animal which can exceed the human range of frequency. 200