Sound Waves - Guide

Energy waves

the energy it carries as it travels, determined mainly by its amplitude (how big the crests and troughs are) and frequency

Sound

the sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of hearing by vibrations transmitted through the air or other medium.

Vibrations

a characteristic atmosphere felt to be emanating from places or objects

Speaker

an electroacoustic device, often housed in a cabinet, that is connected as a component in an audio system, its function being to make speech or music audible.

Electromagnetic force

The fundamental force associated with electric and magnetic fields. The electromagnetic force is carried by the photon and is responsible for atomic structure, chemical reactions, the attractive and repulsive forces associated with electrical charge and magnetism.

Crest

the highest point or level; climax; culmination.

Trough

the lowest point, especially in an economic cycle.

Wavelength

the distance, measured in the direction of propagation of a wave, between two successive points in the wave that are characterized by the same phase of oscillation.

Amplitude

the maximum displacement or intensity of a periodic phenomenon, such as a wave or vibration, from its equilibrium or mean position

Frequency

the rate at which a repeating event occurs, measured as the number of cycles per unit of time, typically seconds, with the unit Hertz (Hz)

Rest line

the central, undisturbed level of a medium (like calm water) or a system (like a spring) where there's zero net force, velocity, or displacement

Pitch

the perceived highness or lowness of a sound, directly determined by the frequency of its sound waves, measured in Hertz (Hz)

Echolocation

the general method of locating objects by determining the time for an echo to return and the direction from which it returns, as by radar or sonar.

Volume

the amount of three-dimensional space an object or substance occupies

Compression Wave

a shock wave that compresses the medium through which it is transmitted.

Wave speed

the rate at which a wave travels through a medium, defined as the distance a wave crest travels divided by the time it takes

Medium

the substance or material (solid, liquid, gas, or even vacuum) through which energy, waves (like sound or light), or forces travel, acting as a carrier to transfer energy from one point to another

Thunder

the powerful sound produced by the rapid expansion and contraction of superheated air from a lightning flash, creating an acoustic shockwave that we hear as cracks and rumbles as the air vibrates and echoes