Sound Waves
by Queniqua Choice
What is Sound?
Sound is transmitted through gases, liquids, solids, and plasma as longitudinal waves. The energy carried by longitudinal waves, also known as compression waves, converts back and forth between potential energy of the compression and the kinetic energy of the oscillations within the medium. This displacement of the sound wave results in oscillation.
What's it used for?
Doctors and scientists use sound waves to see into our bodies. Stethoscopes are used to amplify sound waves so doctors can listen to our heartbeats while ultrasounds are used to create images of our hearts and stomachs. Other equipment that is used for generating, manipulating, or amplifying sound waves include hearing aids, musical instruments, and sonar systems.
Properties of Sound
Wavelength
- Wavelength; this is the distance from the crest of one wave to the crest of the next
Frequency
- Frequency; this is the number of waves that pass a point in each second.
Amplitude
- Amplitude; this is the measure of the amount of energy in a sound wave.
Pitch?
Sounds also are different in how loud and how soft they are.
The more energy the sound wave has the louder the sound seems. The intensity of a sound is the amount of energy it has. You hear intensity as loudness.