CBSE Class 9 Science

Important Questions
Chapter 12
Sound

1 Marks Questions

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

Ans. Sound of Guitar has a higher pitch.

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

Ans. Sound will travel the fastest in iron at a particular temperature.

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

Ans. 20 Hz to 20,000Hz.

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

Ans. Pitch of the sound wave.

5. 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 .

Ans. For 20 Hz sound waves the wavelength would be

= v/n = 344/20 = 17.2 m

For 20 kHzhere
Click sound
towaves the wavelength
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 = 0.0172 m

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

Ans. Since speed of sound in air = 344 m/s

And speed of sound in aluminium = 6420 m/s

we know that v = distance/time therefore time = d/v

time taken by sound wave in air/time taken by sound wave in aluminium

= d/344: d/6420 = 6420/344 = 18.66/1

the sound will take 18.66 times more time through air than in aluminum in reaching other
boy.

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

Ans. Frequency of source of sound being 100 Hz means the sound source vibrates 100 times
in one second. therefore vibrations made by sound source in 1min(60 sec) =
6000

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

Ans. Yes.Sound follows the same laws of reflection as light does. We can say that because
here the directions in which the sound is incident and is reflected make equal angles with
the normal to the reflecting surface at the point of incidence, and the three are in the same
plane.

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

Ans. As the sensation of sound persists in our brain for about 0.1 s. To hear a distinct echo
the time interval between the original sound and the reflected one must be at least 0.1s.
There for the total distance covered by the sound from the point of generation to the
reflecting surface and back should be at least = 34.4 m. Thus, for hearing

distinct echoes, the minimum distance of the obstacle from the source of sound must be half
of this distance, that is, 17.2 m. Speed of sound will increase with increase in temperature.
Therefore, on a hotter day speed of sound will be greater hence echoes may be heard more
than once because of multiple reflections of sound result will be no distinct echo will be
heard by us.

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

Ans. Two practical applications of reflection of sound waves

i. Megaphones or loudhailers, horns, musical instruments such as trumpets and shehanais,

are all designed to send sound in a particular direction without spreading it in all directions.

ii. Stethoscope is a medical instrument used for listening to sounds produced within the
body, chiefly in the heart or lungs. In stethoscopes the sound of the patient’s heartbeat
reaches the doctor’s ears by multiple reflection of sound.

11. 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, and speed

of sound .

Ans.

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 = 10000

= 100 m/s

we also know that v = u + gt = 0 + 10t

100 = 10t or, Time taken by stone to reach the pond surface(t) = 100/10 = 10 sec

Therefore, time taken by soundto reach the top from pond surface = d/v = 500/340

= 1.47 sec

so the total time taken for splash being heard at the top = 10 + 1.47 = 11.47 s

12. A sound wave travels at a speed of 339 m s–1. If its wavelength is 1.5 cm, what is the
frequency of the wave? Will it be audible?

Ans. Since we know that

ν = 339/0.015 = 22600 Hz

Since the resulting frequency is beyond the audible range of human beings(20Hz to 20kHz)
therefore sound will not be audible to human ears.

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

Ans. The repeated reflection of sound due to which sound persists for a long time is called
reverberation.

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

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

Ans. Loudness is a measure of the response of the ear to the sound. Even when two sounds
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are of equal intensity, we may hear one as louder than the other simply because our ear
detects it better.

Loudness of sound depends upon the amplitude of those sound waves. Higher is the
amplitude of vibrating air particles louder will be the sound.

15. Explain how bats use ultrasound to catch a prey.

Ans. Bats search out prey and fly in dark night by emitting and detecting reflections of
ultrasonic waves. The high-pitched ultrasonic squeaks of the bat are reflected from the
obstacles or prey and returned to bat’s ear. The nature of reflections tells the bat where the
obstacle or prey is and what it is like.

16. How is ultrasound used for cleaning?

Ans. Ultrasound is generally used to clean parts located in hard-to-reach places, for example,
spiral tube, odd shaped parts, electronic components etc. Objects to be cleaned are placed in
a cleaning solution and ultrasonic waves are sent into the solution. Due to the high
frequency, the particles of dust, grease and dirt get detached and drop out. The objects thus
get thoroughly cleaned.

17. Explain the working and application of a sonar.

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Ans. Sonar is a device that uses ultrasonic waves to measure the distance, direction and
speed of underwater objects.

Sonar consists of a transmitter and a detector and is installed in a boat or a ship. The
transmitter produces and transmits ultrasonic waves. These waves travel through water and
after striking the object on the seabed, get reflected back and are sensed by the detector. The
detector converts the ultrasonic waves into electrical signals which are appropriately
interpreted. The distance of the object that reflected the sound wave can be calculated by
knowing the speed of sound in water and the time interval between transmission and
reception of the ultrasound. Let the time interval between transmission and reception of
ultrasound signal be t and the speed of sound through sea water be v. The total distance, 2d
travelled by the ultrasound is then, .

The above method is called echo-ranging. The sonar technique is used to determine the
depth of the sea and to locate underwater hills, valleys, submarine, icebergs, sunken ship etc.

18. A sonar device on a submarine sends out a signal and receives an echo 5 s later.
Calculate the speed of sound in water if the distance of the object from the submarine
is 3625 m.

Ans. Distance of object from submarine = 3625 m

Therefore, distance travelled by sonar waves = 7250 m

since, speed = distance/time= 7250/5 = 1450 m/s

19. Explain how defects in a metal block can be detected using ultrasound.
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Ans. Ultrasounds can be used to detect cracks and flaws in metal blocks. Metallic
components are generally used in construction of big structures like buildings, bridges,
machines and also scientific equipment. The cracks or holes inside the metal blocks, which
are invisible from outside reduces the strength of the structure. Ultrasonic waves are
allowed to pass through the metal block and detectors are used to detect the transmitted
waves. If the reis even a small defect, the ultrasound gets reflected back indicating the
presence of the flaw or defect.

20. Explain how the human ear works.

Ans. The outer ear is called ‘pinna’. It collects the sound from the surroundings. The
collected sound passes through the auditory canal. At the end of the auditory canal there is a
thin membrane called the ear drum or tympanic membrane. When a compression of the
medium reaches the eardrum the pressure on the outside of the membrane increases and
forces the eardrum inward. Similarly, the eardrum moves outward when a rarefaction
reaches it. In this way the eardrum vibrates. The vibrations are amplified several times by
three bones (the hammer, anvil and stirrup) in the middle ear. The middle ear transmits the
amplified pressure variations received from the soundwave to the inner ear. In the inner
ear, the pressure variations are turned into electrical signals by the cochlea. These electrical
signals are sent to the brain via the auditory nerve, and the brain interprets them as sound.

21. Wavelength of sound wave has units:

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(a) metres

(b) metres/sound

(c)

(d)

Ans. (a) metres

22. Light is a

(a) Longitudinal wave

(b) Transverse wave

(c) Both

(d) None

Ans. (b) Transverse wave

23. In compression, pressure density is

(a) High

(b) Less

(c) Remains same

(d) May be a) or b) depending upon disturbance

Ans. (a) High

24. Frequency of ultrasonic sound wave is

(a) Greater than 20 HZ

(b) Greater than 20,000 HZ

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(c) Greater than 2 HZ

(d) Greater than 2 MHZ

Ans. (b) Greater than 20,000 HZ

25. S. I. units of frequency are:

(a) second

(b)

(c)

(d)

Ans. (b)

26. Stethoscope work on the principle of:

(a) Multiple reflection of sound

(b) Ultrasounds

(c) Both a and b

(d) None of the above

Ans. (a) Multiple reflection of sound

27. Audible Range of human ear is:

(a) 20 HZ – 20 KHZ

(b) 20 HZ – 20 MHZ

(c) 20HZ – 20,000 HZ

(d) Both a) and b)

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Ans. (d) Both a) and b)

28. The order of bones is human area from outside to inside:

(a) Hammer, stirrup Anvil

(b) Hammer, Anvil and stirrup

(c) Anvil, Stirrup and Hammer

(d) Stirrup, Hammer and Anvil

Ans. (a) Hammer, stirrup Anvil

29. Which of the following is used in echocardiography?

(a) Ultrasound waves

(b) Infrasound waves

(c) X-Ray waves

(d) Both a) and c)

Ans. (a) Ultrasound waves

30. Infrasound is produced by:

(a) Bats

(b) Dogs

(c) Rhinoceros

(d) Rats

Ans. (c) Rhinoceros

31. Speed of sound is maximum in:

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(a) Solids

(b) Liquids

(c) Gases

(d) Plasma

Ans. (a) Solids

32. Inner Ear is called as

(a) cochlea

(b) Pinna

(c) Hammer

(d) Anvil

Ans. Cochlea

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