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Sound is nothing more than vibrations (a type of energy) propagating through a medium in the form of waves. Distinct types of medium have different effects on the wave’s qualities. Is this to say that if the medium does not exist, sound will not travel? Correct. It won’t work since sound waves can’t travel in a vacuum. The audible frequency varies depending on the living organism; for example, sound waves between the frequencies of 20Hz and 20kHz are heard for humans; all frequencies below this are infrasonic, while all frequencies above this are ultrasonic.
There are numerous more features of sound waves that influence the wave’s qualities.
Let’s have a look at these characteristics
Sound Wave Characteristics
Sound waves are vibrations that, when they reach our ears, are carried to the brain, where the information is processed and the sound is perceived. The characteristics of sound waves have a variety of effects on the waves and their propagation. There are five basic characteristics of sound waves. When the vibration is represented as a wave, it is quite simple to determine the features simply by glancing at the wave.
Note: Although the wave depicted above is a transverse wave, sound waves are known to be longitudinal in nature, and they are depicted in longitudinal form to help us understand the concept.
Wavelength λ.
Wavelength is the shortest distance travelled by a wave before it begins to repeat itself. Because the wavelength is a length parameter, the SI unit for wavelength is the metre. The sound wave is longitude in nature, and wavelength is defined as the distance between one full rarefaction and compression. The wavelength is denoted by the symbol λ.
Time Period (T)
A sound wave’s time period is defined as the amount of time it takes to complete one cycle. One complete rarefaction and compression in the vibration defines one wave cycle. The duration is expressed in seconds. The reciprocal of the time period is used to find the wave’s frequency.
Pitch/Frequency (v)
The number of cycles completed by a sound wave in one second is known as its frequency. The number of vibrations caused by the wave in one second is also known as the frequency of the wave. Hertz (Hz) is the SI unit of frequency, and it is denoted by the symbol (v). The frequency of a wave is the only property that does not vary as the propagation medium changes. As a result, the wave’s frequency remains constant.
The frequency of the wave is to be determined in the diagram above. As can be seen, two cycles are completed in a single second. As a result, the frequency of the wave can be determined to be 2 Hz.
To calculate the wave’s frequency, use the formula below.
Frequency(ν)=1/T
Where T is the Time Period,
We have to keep this in mind that a wave’s Time period and frequency are inversely proportional, therefore a wave with a longer Time period will have a lower frequency, and vice versa.
Velocity of the wave
The distance travelled by a sound wave per unit of time is defined as its velocity. The wavelength of the wave determines the distance travelled. The SI unit for velocity of sound wave is m/sec
Sound wave velocity = Wavelength/Time period
Velocity of sound wave = Wavelength x Frequency
v = λ × ν (m/sec)
Loudness/Amplitude (A)
The wave’s amplitude indicates how much energy is contained in the wave. The loudness of a sound wave is defined by the highest height (vertically) achieved by the wave; the greater the magnitude, the louder the wave. The amplitude of a sound wave is defined as the magnitude of one rarefaction or compression
Quality of sound
Sound quality is a measurement of an electronic device’s audio output’s accuracy, fidelity, and intelligibility. Quality can be judged objectively, as when instruments are used to assess the device’s accuracy in reproducing an original sound, or subjectively, as when human listeners respond to the sound or assess its perceived likeness to different sound.
Conclusion
Vibrations produce sound which is a type of energy. When an object vibrates, it causes the molecules in the air around it to move. These molecules collide all the nearby molecules forcing them to vibrate as well. As a result they collide with more surrounding air molecules producing sound .
