M.E.

S INDIAN SCHOOL, DOHA– QATAR

Notes 2023- 2024

Section : Boys /Girls Date : 30/11/2023

Class & Div. : IX(All Divisions) Subject : Physics
Lesson / Topic: SOUND
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1. How does the sound produced by a vibrating object in a medium reach your ear?
Ans: When the object vibrates, it sets the neigh bouring particles to vibrate. These
particlesexert force on other particles and pass on the energy to other parts of
medium. Theparticles do not get transported, but only the disturbance or energy is
transferred. In thisway, sound reaches our ear.

2. Explain how sound is produced by your school bell.

Ans: When the hammer hits the gong of the bell, is starts vibrating. These vibrations set
the particles of surrounding air vibrating. The disturbance travels in all direction and sound
propagates.

3. Why are sound waves called mechanical waves?

Ans: Sound waves are produced by oscillations of particles of the medium. So they require
a material medium for their propagation. Thus they are called mechanical waves.

4. Suppose you and our friend are on the moon. Will you be able to hear any sound
produced by your friend?
Ans: No, it is not possible to hear any sound on moon, there is no medium such as air on
moon to carry sound waves. Sound cannot travel through vacuum as it is a mechanical
wave.

5. Which wave property determines (a) loudness (b) pitch?

Ans:
(a) Amplitude of wave
(b) frequency of vibration

6. Guess which sound has a higher pitch: guitar or car horn?

Ans: The sound of guitar has higher pitch.

7. What are wavelength, frequency, time period and amplitude of a sound wave?
Ans:
Wavelength – The distance between two consecutive compressions or rarefactions in a
sound wave is called wavelength.
Frequency – The number of complete oscillations in one second is called frequency.
Time period – Time taken for one complete oscillation to occur is called time period.

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 Amplitude – Maximum displacement of an oscillating particle from the mean position is
called amplitude.

8. How are the wavelength and frequency of a sound wave related to its speed?
Ans: Speed of sound wave = wavelength x frequency.

9. Calculate the wavelength and frequency of sound wave whose frequency is 220Hz
and speed is 440 m/s in a given medium.
Ans: Given: frequency, n = 220 Hz; speed, v = 440 m/s
440 −1
Wavelength, λ = = =2
220

10. A person is listening to a tone of 500 Hz sitting at a distance of 450 m from the
source of the sound. What is the time interval between successive compression from
the source?
Ans: Given: n = 500 Hz, v = 330 m/s, d = 450m
Time between two successive compressions is called time period.
1 1
= = = 0.002
500

11. Distinguish between loudness and intensity of sound.

Ans:
Loudness Intensity of sound
(a) Loudness is a measure of response (a) Sound energy received per second
of the ear to the sound. per unit area is called intensity.
(b) Constant for a source at a point of
(b) It is not absolute but relative. reception.

12. In which of three media – air, water or iron, does sound travel the fastest at a
particular temperature?
Ans: Speed of sound in iron is greater than that in water and air. This is due to greater
density and highly elastic behaviour of iron.

13. An echo was heard 3 s. What is the distance of the reflecting surface from the
source, given that the speed of sound is 342 m/s?
Ans:
2 = ×
×
=
2
342 × 3
= = 513
2

14. Why are the ceilings of concert halls curved?

Ans: Ceilings of concert halls are curved so that sound after reflection reaches all corners
of hall.
15. What is the audible range of average ear?
Ans: Audible range for human ear = 20 Hz – 20 kHz.
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16. What is the range of frequencies associated with:
(a) Infrasound
(b) ultrasound?
Ans:
(a) Infrasound: sound of frequency less than 20 Hz
(b) Ultrasound: sound of frequency more than 20000 Hz
17. What is sound and how is it produced?
Ans: Sound is a form of energy which produces the sensation of hearing. It is produced
by oscillation/ vibration of particles of a material medium.

18. Why is sound wave called a longitudinal wave?

Ans: A sound wave is called a longitudinal wave as it travels in a medium in the form of
compressions and rarefactions where the particles of the medium vibrate in a direction
parallel to the direction of propagation of sound wave.

19. Which characteristic of the sound helps you to identify your friend by his voice
while sitting with other in a dark room?
Ans: Quality of sound.

20. Flash and thunder are produced simultaneously. But thunder is heard a few
seconds after the flash is seen. Why?
Ans: Speed of sound is much less than the speed of light, so light reaches the eyes of
observer in very less time while sound takes a few seconds to reach our ears.

21. A person has a hearing range from 20Hz to 20 kHz. What are the typical
wavelength of sound waves in air corresponding to these two frequencies? Take the
speed of sound in air as 344 m/s?

Ans: Frequencies: n₁ = 20 Hz n₂ = 20000 Hz (= 20kHz)

Speed of sound: v = 344 m/s in air
∴ wavelengths: 1 = = 344 = 17.2 m
1 20
344
2
= =
2 20000
= 1.72 × 10−2 m

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22. The frequency of a source of sound is 100 Hz. How many times does it vibrate in a
minute?
Ans:
∵ 1 minute = 60 s
Vibrations in 1 s = frequency = 100
Vibrations in 60 s = 60 x 100 = 6000 times.

23. Does the sound follow the same laws of reflection of light does? Explain.
Ans: Yes, sound follows the same laws of reflection as light. These are:
(a)The incident wave, normal and reflected wave, all lie in the same plane.
(b)The angle of incidence is equal to the able of reflection.

24. When a sound is reflected from a distance object, an echo is produced. Let the
distance between the reflecting surface and the source of sound production remains
the same. Do you hear echo sound on a hotter day?
Ans: Speed of sound is increased as temperature rises. Thus, echo reaches faster on a
hotter day and it becomes difficult to detect the echo. Thus, echo can’t be heard distinctly.

25. Give two practical applications of reflections of sound waves.

Ans: Applications of reflection of sound waves are:
(a) To locate underwater hidden objects as rocks and icebergs through SONAR.
(b)To detect any undesired objects in the sky near airport and borders of the country.

26. What is reverberation? How can it be reduced?

Ans: The time from generation of sound till its loudness reduces to zero is called
reverberation time. The process due to which the persistence of sound is caused is called
reverberation. This is reduced in an auditorium using sound absorbent materials and
good absorbers of sound.

27. What is loudness of sound? What factors does it depend on?

Ans: Loudness is the parameter which is described by amplitude of vibration. Loud
sound can be heard up to large distance. It depends on amplitude of vibration.

28. How is ultrasound used for cleaning?

Ans: Ultrasound is used to clean the hard to reach places such as spinal tube, electronic
components etc. Object to be cleaned is placed in the cleaning solution and ultrasonic
waves are sent into it. The high frequency of ultrasound detaches the dust, grease and dirt
from the object and it gets thoroughly cleaned.
29. Explain how defects in a metal block can be detected using ultrasound.
OR
How defects in a metal block can be detected by using ultrasound? Explain with the
help of diagram.
Ans: Ultrasound waves are allowed to pass through the metal. If the block is flawless, it
will pass through it. If there is a crack or deformity, the wave gets reflected. Time taken
by wave to return back is measured and helps to locate the flaw. If the wave is not
reflected, it means metal has no deformity.

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30. Describe with the help of a diagram, how compressions and rarefactions are
produced in air near a source of sound.
Ans: When a vibrating body swings forward, it pushes and compresses the air in front of
it creating a region of high pressure. This region is called a compression. This
compression starts to move away from the vibrating object. When the vibrating body
swings backwards, it creates a region of low pressure called rarefaction. As the object
oscillates back and forth rapidly, a series of compressions and rarefactions is created in
the air. These make the sound wave that propagates through the air

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 Density
or
pressure

31. Cite an experiment to show that sound need a material medium for its propagation.
OR
Prove that sound waves are mechanical waves with the help of an experiment.
Ans:

Fix an electric bell inside a jar connected to a vacuum pump. Close the mouth of jar and
ring the bell. We will be able to hear the bell. Slowly remove the air using the vacuum
pump, so that vacuum is created in the jar. The sound will end when all the air is pumped
out. This demonstrates that sound waves cannot travel through vacuum and it needs a
medium for its propagation.
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