SLP 409 (1)

Sound

A mechanical vibration that travels through a medium as a series of pressure changes.

Ambient Pressure (Pam)

The normal pressure present in the air around you.

Compression/Peak

A region where air molecules are forced closer together, creating higher pressure.

Rarefaction/Trough

A region where molecules are more spread out, leading to lower pressure.

Oscillation

The back-and-forth movement of particles around their equilibrium position.

Inertia

The tendency of a moving object (or molecule) to keep moving in the same direction once it has been pushed.

Elastic Forces

Forces that act to restore displaced molecules back to their equilibrium position.

Frequency

The number of complete cycles occurring per unit of time (measured in Hertz/Hz).

Period

The time taken to complete one full cycle of pressure changes.

Amplitude

The magnitude of the maximum change in pressure associated with a wave.

Constructive Interference

Occurs when a peak meets a peak, resulting in a wave of greater amplitude.

Destructive Interference

Occurs when a trough meets a peak, leading to a wave of lower amplitude.

Periodic Wave

A wave made up of identical repeating cycles, which has a pitch.

Aperiodic Wave

A wave without a repeating pattern, sounding like noise rather than musical pitch.

Simple Waveform

A waveform that has only one frequency.

Complex Waveform

A waveform made up of two or more different frequencies.

Pitch

The perceptual counterpart of frequency and period.

Loudness

The perceptual counterpart of amplitude/intensity.