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Sound - Coggle Diagram
Sound
Definitions
Sound is a transfer of energy from 1 place to another in the form of a longitudinal wave and it is produced by a vibrating source placed in a medium
The vibrating source causes the particles of the medium to move forward and backward, parallel to the direction of wave travel in a longitudinal nature, allowing alternate regions of the medium particles to be compressed or rarefied transferring energy without transfer of matter.
Rarefactions are regions where pressure is lower than the surroundings as a result of particles being further away from each other.
Compressions are regions of higher pressure than the surroundings as a result of particles being closer together.
Sound waves are represented on pressure distance graphs, and the amplitude of the graph shows the maximum change in pressure, while the wavelength is the distance between successive rarefactions or compressions.
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Characteristics of sound
Loudness
The loudness of a sound is related to the amplitude of the sound wave, where the larger the amplitude, the louder the sound
Pitch
The pitch is related to the frequency, where the higher the frequency, the higher the pitch
Audible and Ultrasound
Range of audibility
Human ears are capable of detecting sounds from a certain range of frequencies, this range is known as the range of audibility. For human, the range of audibility is 20Hz (lower limit) and 20kHz (upper limit), and we are unable to hear low frequency sounds (infrasound) and high frequency sounds (ultrasound)
Ultrasound
Ultrasound are sounds that have frequencies of 20kHz and above, more than the upper limit of human range of audibility. Dolphins and Bats can emit ultrasound
It is used as a scanner for scanning unborn babies as it can be used to obtain images of structures within the body without causing harm to the foetus by causing gene mutations; as a sonar to detect shoals of fishes; as a flaw detector to detect flaws in railway tracks; as a cleaner to clean small and delicate objects
Echoes
Echoes are formed when sound is reflected off a large, flat and hard surface. they obey the laws of reflection and are used to measure large distances.