Mechanical Waves and Sound
Ch. 17
Physical Science
Mechanical Waves
&
Properties of Mechanical
Waves
17.1 / 17.2
Physical Science CIA
What are mechanical waves?
What do you think waves carry?
Can you see waves?
Examples?
Mechanical Waves
Mechanical waves are disturbances
in matter that carry energy from one
place to another.
Usually require matter through which to
travel
The matter a wave travels through is
called a medium.
Medium can be a solid, liquid, or gas
Some waves can travel through space
with no medium!
How are mechanical waves
created?
Creation of mechanical waves:
Need a source of energy!
That energy causes a vibration
to travel through the medium
Types of Mechanical Waves
Transverse:
A wave that causes the medium to vibrate at
right angles to the direction of the wave
Parts of a transverse wave:
Types of Mechanical Waves, ctd.
Transverse
Longitudinal:
A wave in which the vibration of the medium is
parallel to the direction the wave travels
Parts of a longitudinal wave:
Remember!
A wave doesnt move the mediumits
just energy traveling through the medium!
Transverse and Longitudinal Wave
Which is which?
Types of Mechanical Waves, ctd.
Transverse
Longitudinal
Surface:
A wave that
travels along a
surface
separating two
media
Period vs Frequency
Period (T) The time it takes for one
cycle (= how long?)
Measured in seconds
Frequency (f) The number of cycles in
a given time (= how many?)
Measured in Hertz (Hz)
Frequency is the inverse of the Period
f=1/T
Speed of a wave
We find speed by distance divided by
time.
The same holds true for waves!
Speed of a wave = Wavelength/Period
Speed of a wave =
Wavelength*Frequency
Speed of a Wave
The speed of a wave is constant within a
medium.
The speed can change when a wave enters a
new medium
All waves of the same type travel at the same
speed
This means wavelength is inversely proportional to
frequency!
If the wavelength increases the frequency has to decrease!
If the wavelength decreases the frequency has to increase!
Practice Problem #1
A wave in a spring has a wavelength of 0.1
meters and a period of 0.2 seconds. What
is the speed of the wave?
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Practice Problem #2
Find the wavelength of a wave in a rope that
has a frequency of 2.0 Hz and a speed of
0.4 meters/second.
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Behavior of Waves
17.3 Physical Science CIA
What happens when
A wave meets a hard surface like a wall?
A wave enters a new medium?
A wave moves around an obstacle?
A wave meets another wave?
A wave meets a hard surface
like a wall?
Reflection
A wave bounces off a surface that it can not
pass through
Reflection does not change the speed or
frequency of the wave, BUT the wave can
be flipped upside down!
How?
A wave enters a new medium?
Refraction
The bending of a wave as it enters a new
medium
The wave bends because as it enters a
new medium it either speeds up or slows
down!
Refraction
Refraction
A wave moves around an
obstacle?
Diffraction the bending of a wave as it
moves around an obstacle or passes
through a narrow opening
Diffraction
A wave meets another wave?
Interference when two or more waves
overlap and combine together.
Constructive
Destructive
Constructive Interference
Two or more waves combine to produce a
wave with a larger displacement
Destructive Interference
Two or more waves combine to produce a
wave with a smaller displacement
Standing Waves
Occur because of interference!
A standing wave is a wave that appears to
stay in one place.
Parts of a Standing wave
Node Where there is no displacement of
the medium in a standing wave
Antinode Where there is maximum
displacement of the medium in a standing
wave
How do standing waves fit on a
string?
Standing waves
only form if a half
a wavelength or
a multiple of half
a wavelength fits
exactly into the
length of a
vibrating string
Sound and Hearing
17.4 Physical Science CIA
Properties of Sound Waves
What type of waves are sound waves?
Properties, ctd.
Sounds behave in certain ways
because of the properties of sound
waves. Some properties are:
Speed
Intensity & Loudness
Frequency & Pitch
Speed
Speed of sound = 342 m/s
THATS 765 mph!
Sound speed varies, depending on
medium
Travel fastest in solids, slowest in gases
Travel fastest in the most dense media
Speed of Sound animation
Intensity
Intensity: the rate at which a waves
energy flows through an area
Sound intensity depends on
Amplitude
Distance from source
Measured in decibels (dB)
Loudness
Subjective! (This means it depends
on the person who is hearing it.)
Loudness is a personal, physical
response to the intensity of sound.
As intensity increases, so does
loudness, but loudness also depends
on the listeners ears and brain.
Frequency & Pitch
Frequency of a sound wave depends on
how fast the source of the sound is
vibrating.
Pitch is how we hear frequency of sound
waves
Pitch depends on frequencyhigh
frequency sounds are high pitched, and
low frequency sounds are low pitched.
Pitch also depends on age and health
Frequency and
Pitch animation
Ultrasound
Most people hear sounds between 20 and
20,000 Hz.
Infrasound sound at frequencies lower than
people usually hear
Ultrasound sound at frequencies higher
than people usually hear
Used in technologies such as sonar and
ultrasound imaging
Ultrasound, ctd.
Sonar a technique used to determine the
distance to an object under water.
Ultrasound medical technique used to
take pictures of different organs (or a fetus!)
The Doppler Effect
Where have you heard of the term
Doppler?
Doppler Effect: a change in sound
frequency (pitch) caused by the motion of
the sound source, the listener, or both
Why do we observe this?
Doppler Effect animation
Hearing and the Ear
Your ear has a membrane that vibrates when
sound waves hit itwhat is this membrane?
The Ear animation
Hearing & the Ear
Ear consists of 3 main parts
Outer Ear gathers and focuses sound
Middle Ear receives and amplifies
vibrations
Inner Ear uses nerve endings to
sense vibrations and send signals to the
brain
Reproduction of Sound
What are some ways that sound is
stored?
How do you think sound is stored,
and then played back?
Reproduction of Sound
To record: sound waves must be
converted into electronic signals that can
be stored
To reproduce: electronic signals are
converted back into sound waves
Music
Musical instruments change their pitch by
changing the frequency of the waves they
produce how do they do this?
Reflection animation
