Terminology related with Sound

Amplitude

Amplitude, the maximum displacement or distance moved by a point on a vibrating body or wave measured from its equilibrium position. It is equal to one-half the length of the vibration path. The amplitude of a pendulum is thus one-half the distance that the bob traverses in moving from one side to the other. waves are generated by vibrating sources, their amplitude being proportional to the amplitude of the source.

For a transverse wave, such as the wave on a plucked string, amplitude is measured by the maximum displacement of any point on the string from its position when the string is at rest. For a longitudinal wave, such as a sound wave, amplitude is measured by the maximum displacement of a particle from its position of equilibrium. When the amplitude of a wave steadily decreases because its energy is being lost, it is said to be damped.

Wavelength

Wavelength, distance between corresponding points of two consecutive waves. “Corresponding points” refers to two points or particles in the same phase—i.e., points that have completed identical FRACTIONS of their periodic motion. Usually, in transverse waves (waves with points oscillating at right angles to the direction of their advance), wavelength is measured from crest to crest or from trough to trough; in longitudinal waves (waves with points vibrating in the same direction as their advance), it is measured from compression to compression or from rarefaction to rarefaction. Wavelength is usually denoted by the Greek letter lambda (λ); it is equal to the speed (v) of a wave train in a medium divided by its frequency (f): λ = v/f.

Frequency of Vibration

Vibration is periodic back-and-forth motion of the particles of an elastic body or medium, commonly resulting when almost any physical system is displaced from its equilibrium condition and allowed to respond to the forces that tend to restore equilibrium.

Vibrations fall into two categories: free and forced.

Free vibrations occur when the system is disturbed momentarily and then allowed to move without restraint. A classic example is provided by a weight suspended from a spring. In equilibrium, the system has minimum energy and the weight is at rest. If the weight is pulled down and released, the system will respond by vibrating vertically.

The vibrations of a spring are of a particularly simple kind known as simple harmonic motion (SHM). This occurs whenever the disturbance to the system is countered by a restoring force that is exactly proportional to the degree of disturbance. In this case, the restoring force is the tension or compression in the spring, which (according to Hooke’s law) is proportional to the displacement of the spring. In simple harmonic motion, the periodic oscillations are of the mathematical form called sinusoidal.

Most systems that suffer small disturbances counter them by exerting some form of restoring force. It is frequently a good approximation to suppose that the force is proportional to the disturbance, so that SHM is, in the limiting case of small disturbances, a generic feature of vibrating systems. One characteristic of SHM is that the period of the vibration is independent of its amplitude. Such systems therefore are used in regulating clocks. The oscillation of a pendulum, for instance, approximates SHM if the amplitude is small.

The frequency of a vibration, measured in Hertz (Hz), is simply the number of to and fro movements made in each second. A tuning fork or piano string vibrating at 256 Hz will produce a pitch of middle C. A greater frequency than this will produce a higher-pitched note and so on. Children will often mix up pitch and loudness believing that a higher pitched sound is a louder one. Higher pitched sounds produce waves which are closer together than for lower pitched sounds.

Sound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.

Sound is produced by vibrating objects. When an object vibrates, it causes the air Molecules around it to vibrate as well. These vibrating air molecules then collide with other air molecules, causing them to vibrate as well. This process continues, with the sound waves traveling through the air until they reach our ears.

Our ears are able to detect sound waves because they have tiny hairs inside them that vibrate when sound waves hit them. These vibrations are then converted into electrical signals that are sent to our brains, which interpret them as sound.

Sound can travel through many different materials, including air, water, and solid objects. The speed of sound depends on the material through which it is traveling. For example, sound travels about 343 meters per second in air, but it travels about 1,500 meters per second in water.

Sound can also be reflected, refracted, and absorbed. Reflection occurs when sound waves hit a surface and bounce back. Refraction occurs when sound waves travel through a medium with different densities and change direction. Absorption occurs when sound waves are absorbed by a material.

Sound is an important part of our lives. We use it to communicate, to enjoy music, and to be aware of our surroundings. Sound can also be used for many different purposes, such as in navigation, in medical diagnosis, and in entertainment.

Here are some of the subtopics related to sound:

Acoustics: The science of sound and its properties.
Audio engineering: The field of engineering that deals with the recording, processing, and Reproduction of sound.
Audio signal processing: The field of engineering that deals with the manipulation of audio signals.
Beats: The periodic variation in the amplitude of a sound wave that is caused by the superposition of two waves of slightly different frequencies.
Binaural recording: A technique for recording sound that uses two microphones to capture the sound from two different perspectives, as if the listener were actually there.
Cacophony: A harsh, unpleasant sound.
Chromatic scale: A musical scale that consists of twelve pitches, each of which is a semitone apart.
Decibel: A unit of measurement for sound pressure level.
Echo: A sound that is repeated because the sound waves are reflected back from a surface.
Frequency: The number of cycles of a wave per unit of time.
Fundamental frequency: The lowest frequency of a complex sound wave.
Harmony: The pleasing combination of two or more notes played together.
Infrasound: Sound waves with frequencies below the range of human hearing.
Loudness: The subjective perception of the intensity of a sound.
Melody: A linear sequence of notes that the listener perceives as a single entity.
Microtonal music: Music that uses pitches that are not part of the standard chromatic scale.
Overtone: A frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental frequency of a complex sound wave.
Pitch: The highness or lowness of a sound.
Psychoacoustics: The study of the relationship between physical sound and the psychological perception of sound.
Reverberation: The persistence of sound after the source of the sound has stopped.
Silence: The absence of sound.
Sound: A mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.
Sound localization: The ability to determine the location of a sound source.
Sound pressure: The pressure of a sound wave.
Sound pressure level: A measure of the intensity of a sound wave.
Sound spectrum: The distribution of energy of a sound wave as a function of frequency.
Timbre: The quality of a sound that distinguishes different types of sound sources having the same pitch, loudness, and duration.
Tone: A sound with a single frequency.
Ultrasonics: Sound waves with frequencies above the range of human hearing.
Vibrato: A rapid variation in pitch.
Voice: The sound produced by the human vocal cords.
White noise: A sound that contains all frequencies at equal intensity.

What is sound?

What are the different types of sound?

There are two main types of sound: audible and inaudible. Audible sound is sound that can be heard by humans, while inaudible sound is sound that cannot be heard by humans. Audible sound is typically divided into three categories: infrasound, audible sound, and ultrasound. Infrasound is sound with frequencies below 20 Hz, audible sound is sound with frequencies between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, and ultrasound is sound with frequencies above 20 kHz.

What are the different properties of sound?

The four main properties of sound are frequency, amplitude, wavelength, and speed. Frequency is the number of waves that pass a given point in a given amount of time, measured in hertz (Hz). Amplitude is the height of a wave, measured in decibels (dB). Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive peaks of a wave, measured in meters. Speed is the distance that a wave travels in a given amount of time, measured in meters per second (m/s).

How is sound produced?

Sound is produced when an object vibrates. The vibration causes the air molecules around the object to vibrate, and these vibrations travel through the air in the form of waves. When the waves reach our ears, they cause our eardrums to vibrate, and our brains interpret these vibrations as sound.

How is sound transmitted?

Sound is transmitted through a medium, such as air, water, or solid. The medium carries the sound waves from the source of the sound to the listener. The speed of sound depends on the medium through which it is traveling. Sound travels fastest through solids, followed by liquids, and then gases.

How is sound absorbed?

Sound is absorbed when it hits a surface and the energy of the sound waves is converted into heat. The amount of sound that is absorbed depends on the material of the surface. Some materials, such as soft fabrics, absorb more sound than other materials, such as hard surfaces.

How is sound reflected?

Sound is reflected when it hits a surface and bounces back. The angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence. The angle of incidence is the angle between the incoming sound wave and the surface, and the angle of reflection is the angle between the reflected sound wave and the surface.

How is sound refracted?

Sound is refracted when it travels from one medium to another. The speed of sound is different in different mediums, so when sound travels from one medium to another, the direction of the sound waves changes. The amount of refraction depends on the difference in the speeds of sound in the two mediums.

How is sound amplified?

Sound is amplified when the energy of the sound waves is increased. This can be done by using a loudspeaker, which converts electrical energy into sound waves, or by using a microphone, which converts sound waves into electrical energy.

How is sound recorded?

Sound is recorded by converting the sound waves into electrical signals. These electrical signals are then stored on a recording medium, such as a CD or a cassette tape.

How is sound played back?

Sound is played back by converting the electrical signals back into sound waves. This is done by using a loudspeaker, which converts electrical energy into sound waves.

What are some common applications of sound?

Sound is used in a variety of applications, including music, speech, Communication, and entertainment. Sound is also used in many scientific and technological applications, such as sonar, radar, and ultrasound.

What is the term for the distance between two consecutive compressions or rarefactions of a sound wave?
(A) Wavelength
(B) Frequency
(C) Amplitude
(D) Pitch
What is the term for the number of waves that pass a given point in a given amount of time?
(A) Wavelength
(B) Frequency
(C) Amplitude
(D) Pitch
What is the term for the maximum displacement of a sound wave from its equilibrium position?
(A) Wavelength
(B) Frequency
(C) Amplitude
(D) Pitch
What is the term for the subjective perception of how high or low a sound is?
(A) Wavelength
(B) Frequency
(C) Amplitude
(D) Pitch
What is the term for the quality of a sound that distinguishes different Musical instruments playing the same note?
(A) Timbre
(B) Loudness
(C) Pitch
(D) Frequency
What is the term for the intensity of a sound wave?
(A) Wavelength
(B) Frequency
(C) Amplitude
(D) Loudness
What is the term for the speed of sound in a medium?
(A) Wavelength
(B) Frequency
(C) Amplitude
(D) Speed of sound
What is the term for the property of a sound wave that determines its direction of travel?
(A) Wavelength
(B) Frequency
(C) Amplitude
(D) Direction
What is the term for the property of a sound wave that determines its ability to travel through a medium?
(A) Wavelength
(B) Frequency
(C) Amplitude
(D) Intensity
What is the term for the property of a sound wave that determines its ability to be heard by humans?
(A) Wavelength
(B) Frequency
(C) Amplitude
(D) Loudness