SOUND GEN SCI T1

Mechanical Wave

A wave produced by vibrations that requires a medium and cannot travel through a vacuum.

Sound in Air

A mechanical wave that travels mainly as a longitudinal wave consisting of compressions and rarefactions.

Loudness

The volume or intensity of sound; it depends on amplitude.

Pitch

How high or low a sound is; it depends on frequency.

Timbre

The quality or character of a sound; it depends on the shape of the wave and the sound source.

Duration

How long a sound lasts.

Speed of Sound

Depends on the medium and its conditions; sound generally travels faster in solids than in liquids and gases.

Speed of Sound in Air

Approximately 343 m/s at room temperature.

Speed of Sound in Water

Approximately 1,480 m/s.

Speed of Sound in Steel

Approximately 5,000 m/s.

Wave Speed Formula

v = fλ.

Echo

The repetition of a sound caused by the reflection of sound waves from a distant surface.

Reverberation

The persistence of sound in a space caused by multiple reflections of sound waves.

Ultrasound

Sound waves with a frequency higher than 20,000 Hz (20 kHz), beyond the range of human hearing.

Microphone

A device that converts sound vibrations into electrical signals.

Speaker

A device that converts electrical signals into mechanical vibrations that produce sound.

Ultrasound Imaging

Uses high-frequency sound waves and their reflections to form images of structures inside the body.

SONAR

Uses reflected sound waves to detect objects and estimate distances underwater.

Noise-Canceling Technology

Uses microphones, signal processing, and opposing sound waves to reduce unwanted noise.