What is Sound Energy?

What is Sound Energy?

Sound Energy

• sound is energy in the form of vibrations passing through matter

• A vibration is a quick back and forth movement.

• Sound occurs when objects vibrate.

• Sound travels through solids, liquids and gases.

• Sound cannot travel through empty space where is no matter.

How Sound Travels

• As sound waves move through matter, they particles into motion.

• The moving particles form a pattern.

• Areas with groups that are bunched together alternate with areas of particles that are farther apart.

• The area where particles bunch together are called compressions.

• Sound waves travel quickly through most solids and liquids.

• Sound waves travel more slowly in gases.

Multiple Choice

What is energy in the form of vibrations passing through matter?

• sight

• sound

• vibrations

Multiple Choice

What is a vibration?

• particles

• a quick back and forth movement

• a compression

Multiple Choice

Sound cannot travel through...

• solid

• liquid

• gas

• empty space

Multiple Choice

What are compressions?

• vibrations

• areas where particles bunch together

Frequency and Wavelength

• The frequency of a wave is the number of waves that pass a point in a certain amount of time.

• Wavelength is the distance between a point on one wave and a similar point on the next wave.

• One way that scientists study waves is using an oscilloscope.

• An oscilloscope is a device that takes sound waves and displays the shape of the wave on a screen.

• Compressions show up on the screen as crests, or high points on the wave.

• The spaces between the compressions show up as troughs, or low points on the wave.

Pitch

• People experience the frequency of sound as its pitch.

• Pitch is how high or low a sound is.

• Pitch depends on the frequency of the sound wave.

• Objects that vibrate more quickly have a higher frequency and higher pitch.

• Objects that vibrate more slowly have a lower frequency and a lower pitch.

• The material of the object making the sound and its size and shape affect the pitch you hear.

Volume

• When we describe a sound, we often mention its loudness, or volume.

• Some sounds are louder than others.

• Volume is the measure of how strong a sound seems to us.

• The more energy there is in the sound wave, the louder the sound.

• Amplitude is the height of a wave measured from its midline.

• The higher the amplitude of a wave, the more energy it has, and the louder it sounds.

Multiple Choice

What is the number of waves that pass a point in a certain amount of time?

• vibration

• frequency

• wavelength

Multiple Choice

What is the distance between a point on one wave and a similar point on the next wave?

• frequency

• wavelength

Multiple Choice

What is one device that scientists use to study waves?

• wavelength

• thermometer

• oscilloscope

Multiple Choice

Compressions show up on the screen as what?

• a trough

• a crest

• they don't

Multiple Choice

People experience the frequency of a sound as what?

• a vibration

• Its pitch

• a sound

Multiple Choice

What is the measure of how strong a sound seems?

• amplitude

• volume

• pitch

Multiple Choice

What is the height of a wave?

• pitch

• volume

• amplitude