Third term

Grade 8 Physics
Engaging starter
Discovery of topic
Chapter 8 :Sound
Topic : Making sound
Pg No.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

 Objective

 Understand that the production of

sound by vibrating sources.
Setting of standards
 Thumbs up, down and sideways
Vocabulary words
Key words

1. Vibration
Presentation of lesson
All sounds are caused by something vibrating. The vibrations are not always visible
because they may be too small or too fast. Vibrating sources cause the air around
them to vibrate. These vibrations are passed through the air to our ears where they
cause the eardrum to vibrate and we hear sound.

String instruments are plucked or bowed to cause them to vibrate. The

length of the string can be changed (usually by holding the string down
with a finger) and this changes the note produced. The body of the
instrument and the air inside it also vibrate and this gives the instrument
its distinctive sound. This is why an oud and violin can play the same
note but sound very different.
Wind instruments are blown to cause the column of air inside to vibrate.
Players cover and uncover holes to change the length of the air column.
This changes the pitch of the note.

An orchestra produces vibrations by a complex combination of hitting, plucking,

bowing and blowing. These vibrations pass through the air to the audience, causing
their eardrums to vibrate, so they hear the sound.
If the sound is very loud, such as at a rock concert, the audience may feel vibrations
throughout their bodies and through the floor.
 Chapter 12
Sounds
All sounds are caused by something vibrating.
Vibrating sources cause the air around them to vibrate. These vibrations are passed through
the air to our ears where they cause the eardrum to vibrate and we hear sound.

SET A. What are all sounds caused by?

Ans. vibrations

SET B.A drum, a flute and a violin all play a note. For each instrument state what vibrates to
create the sound.
Ans. drum: drumskin
flute: column of air
violin: strings

SET C.Describe how a drummer hitting a drum leads to a listener hearing sound.
Ans. The drummer hits the skin causing it to vibrate. This makes the surrounding air vibrate.
The vibrations pass through the air causing the eardrum to vibrate.
Biology _ Auditory stimuli are sound waves, which are mechanical, pressure waves
that move through a medium, such as air or water. There are no sound waves in a
vacuum .
Evaluation
Did we able to
1. Understand that the production of
sound by vibrating sources.
Plenary : Wrap up by the teacher
Summarized by the learners- the whole topic will be
summarized by one or two learners in their words.

Next topic will be announced.( How does sound travel?)

HW :
What is your feeling about the
class today? Circle one face

THANK YOU
 Third term
Grade 8 Physics
Engaging starter
 Discovery of topic
Chapter 8 :Sound
Topic : How does sound travel?
Pg No.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Setting of standards
 Thumbs up, down and sideways
 Objective

 Describe the longitudinal nature of sound waves.

 Know that a medium is needed to transmit
sound wave
Vocabulary words
Key words

1. Compression

2. Rarefraction
 Presentation of lesson
Sound is a series of vibrations passing through air or another material. The source of the
sound vibrates and this makes the air particles around it vibrate back and forward in the
direction the sound is travelling. These vibrations make a sound wave. This type of wave is
called a longitudinal wave.

You will learn more about waves in Chapter 14.

The movement of the air particles can be demonstrated using a slinky spring, as shown in Figure 12.11.
Figure 12.11: Moving the end of the spring back and forwards causes the coils of the spring to be squashed together and
then stretched out. The squashed up area moves along the spring but the spring remains in its original place.
Figure 12.14: When the battery is connected, the bell can be seen and heard. Vibrations from the bell
pass through the air in the jar, through the glass and then through the air to your ear. When the pump
removes the air from the jar, the bell can still be seen vibrating, but cannot be heard.

Sound waves are vibrations caused by particles moving back and forth. In a vacuum there
are no particles, so it is impossible for sound to travel. Sound needs a medium (material) to
travel through.
Sound can travel through solids. You may be able to hear sounds from outside the classroom
as you read this. Sound vibrations can travel through the walls.
Sounds can also pass through liquids. Many sea animals such as dolphins and whales use
sound to communicate with each other and to navigate.
The Sun is very active and yet we hear no sound from it. This is because there are no
particles to carry the huge disturbances caused by explosions and solar flares. We can see
the Sun because, unlike sound waves, light waves can travel through a vacuum. Another
major difference between sound and light waves is their speed. Light travels at 300 000 000
m/s, about a million times faster than sound. This means we see the lightning almost as it
happens but hear the sound later. To calculate how many kilometres away the storm is,
measure the time between the lightning and the thunder and divide by three. This works
 How does sound travel?
 Sound waves are vibrations caused by particles moving back and forth. In a vacuum
there are no particles, so it is impossible for sound to travel. Sound needs a medium
(material) to travel through.
 Sound can travel through solids. Sound vibrations can travel through the walls.
 Sounds can also pass through liquids. Many sea animals such as dolphins and whales
use sound to communicate with each other and to navigate.

SET A Explain why sound cannot be heard in a vacuum.

Ans. There are no particles to vibrate so sound cannot travel.

SET B Describe and explain what is heard when the vacuum pump in figure 12.14 is
switched on.
Ans. The bell is initially loud but as the air is pumped out the sound becomes quieter
until it cannot be heard as there are no particles to carry the sound wave.

SET C A boy sees lightning and hears the thunderclap 9 seconds later. Calculate how far
away is the storm is.
Ans. 9/3 = 3 km
Biology _ Auditory stimuli are sound waves, which are mechanical, pressure waves
that move through a medium, such as air or water. There are no sound waves in a
vacuum .
Evaluation
Did we able to
1.Describe the longitudinal nature of sound
waves.
2.Know that a medium is needed to transmit
sound wave
Plenary : Wrap up by the teacher
Summarized by the learners- the whole topic will be
summarized by one or two learners in their words.

Next topic will be announced.( The speed of sound)

HW :
What is your feeling about the
class today? Circle one face

THANK YOU
 Third term
Grade 8 Physics
Engaging starter
Discovery of topic
Chapter 8 :Sound
Topic : The speed of Sound
Pg No.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Setting of standards
 Thumbs up, down and sideways
 Objective

 State the speed of sound in air

 Compare the speed of sound in solids , liquids
and gases
Vocabulary words

Key words

1. echo
The speed of sound

Sound travels at between 330 m/s and 350 m/s in air. The speed
changes slightly depending on the temperature and humidity of the
air. This is much slower than light, but still so fast that we are usually
not aware of the time it takes for sounds to reach us, unless the
distance it travels is large.

An echo is a reflected sound wave. If you bang two wooden blocks

together in the classroom you will hear only one bang. The sound will
reflect from the walls, but the echo will be so close to the original
bang that you will not hear it as a separate sound. Banging the blocks
outside will mean the sound has further to travel so you may hear an
echo. This can be used to measure the speed of sound.
 Presentation of lesson
When the students bangs the
two blocks of wood together, it
creates a sudden, loud sound.
The sound reaches microphone
1 and a pulse of electric current
is sent to the timer. The timer
starts timing. A fraction of a
second later the sound reaches
microphone 2.

A second pulse of current is

sent to the timer and stops it.
The timer now indicates the
time it took for the sound to
travel from microphone 1 to
microphone 2. If the distance
between the two microphones
is measured,
the speed of sound can be
calculated using the equation:
speed = distance/ time
Sound travels at different speeds in different materials. Figure 12.18
shows the speed in different materials. This can be explained by
considering the spacing of particles. Particles are closer together in
solids than in liquids, so the vibrations can be passed on more easily
in solids. This means that the sound wave travels faster in a solid.
The speed of sound
Sound travels at between 330 m/s and 350 m/s in air.

An echo is a reflected sound wave.

speed of sound can be calculated using the equation:

speed = distance/ time

Sound travels at different speeds in different materials.

Particles are closer together in solids than in liquids, so the vibrations can be passed on
more easily in solids. This means that the sound wave travels faster in a solid.
SET A : A man blows a whistle and hears the echo from a rock face after 3.6 seconds. How far
away from the rock is he? Assume speed of sound in air = 340 m/s.

Speed = distance/ time

so, distance = speed x time
= 340 m/s x 3.6 s
= 1244 m
Step 2: The distance to the rock face is half of this.)
So 1224/2 = 612 m

SET B A spectator at a cricket match sees the batsman hit the ball, then 1.2 seconds later he
hears the strike. How far away is the spectator? The speed of sound in air is 330 m/s.
Ans. Speed= distance / time
So distance = speed X time = 330 x 1.2 =396 m

SET C Sound travels at 1500 m/s in fresh water and at 1530 m/s in salt water. Explain the
difference in speeds.
Ans. Salt water is more dense.

HOTS : Explain why the method shown in Figure 12.17 is more accurate than the echo method
when measuring the speed of sound.
Ans. The microphones record the sound immediately whereas a human with a stopclock has a
reaction time.
Biology _ Auditory stimuli are sound waves, which are mechanical, pressure waves
that move through a medium, such as air or water. There are no sound waves in a
vacuum .
Evaluation
Plenary : Wrap up by the teacher
Summarized by the learners- the whole topic will be
summarized by one or two learners in their words.

Next topic will be announced.( Seeing Sound)

HW :
Did we able to
1. State the speed of sound in air
2. Compare the speed of sound in solids ,
liquids and gases
What is your feeling about the
class today? Circle one face

THANK YOU
 Third term
Grade 8 Physics
Engaging starter
 Discovery of topic
Chapter 8 :Sound
Topic : Seeing and Hearing Sound
Pg No.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Setting of standards
 Thumbs up, down and sideways
 Objective
 Define the term 'ultrasound'.
 State the range of sounds which humans can hear
 Describe how the amplitude of a sound affects its
loudness.
 Describe how the frequency of a sound affects its pitch.
Vocabulary words

Key words

1. Amplitude

2. Frequency

3. Hertz

4. Ultrasound
Presentation of lesson
Topic : Seeing and Hearing Sound
A cathode ray oscilloscope and microphone can be used to represent sounds on a display
screen (Figure 12.19). The microphone picks up the sound and converts it to an electrical
signal. The oscilloscope converts this to a line which represents the vibrations that make
up the sound wave.
Figure 12.19: As the student blows, he creates vibrations in the air. The vibrations are
detected by the microphone and converted to electrical signals, which are displayed
on the oscilloscope.

The vibration from a musical instrument is complicated because it is produced by

vibrations of the air and the instrument itself. A signal generator can be used to
produce a pure sound wave. Pure notes are easier to measure, but not so musical.

The oscilloscope trace that represents a pure note is a simple curve as shown in
Figure 12.20a. When representing a musical note from a particular musical
instrument, the pattern is more complicated. Figures 12.20b and c show this.

figure 12.20: The three representations of sound waves shown here are all the same
note. Each wave has a repeating pattern. The design of the instrument adds extra
vibrations called overtones which give each instrument its distinctive sound. All
three waves have four repeats, meaning that they all are the same note.
Note • high frequency means high pitch
• large amplitude means loud sound.
Young humans can hear sounds from 20 Hz up to 20 000 Hz. As we grow older, the sensory cells in the
ear which detect vibrations deteriorate. This means that the range of sounds which can be heard decreases with age. These
cells can also be damaged by repeated exposure to very loud noise.
Sounds which have a higher frequency than 20 000 Hz are too high pitched to be heard by
the human ear. These sounds are known as ultrasound.
Many animals can hear high pitched sounds that we cannot. Many animals such as dolphins communicate using
ultrasound. Whistles creating ultrasound can be used to train animals (Figure 12.22).
Glossary
Figure 12.22: This whistle was invented by a scientist called Francis Galton in around 1900 to help him investigate human
hearing.
 Seeing and Hearing Sound
A cathode ray oscilloscope and microphone can be used to represent sounds on a display
screen (Figure 12.19). The microphone picks up the sound and converts it to an electrical
signal. The oscilloscope converts this to a line which represents the vibrations that make up
the sound wave.
Young humans can hear sounds from 20 Hz up to 20 000 Hz.
Sounds which have a higher frequency than 20 000 Hz are too high pitched to be heard by
the human ear. These sounds are known as ultrasound.
 SET A State the range of sound a young person can typically hear.
Ans.20–20 000 Hz
SET B Describe what happens to this range as the person gets older. What else can
have this effect on hearing?
Ans. The range gets smaller. Exposure to very loud sounds can also have this effect.

SET C Figure 12.26 shows the traces produced on an oscilloscope by three different
sounds.

Figure 12.26: Three sounds produced on an oscilloscope.

a Which sound is quietest? Explain your answer.

Ans. 1 as it has the smallest amplitude

b Which two sounds have the same pitch? Explain your answer.
Ans. 1 and 2. They have the same frequency (the same number of waves can be seen on
the screen)
Biology _ Auditory stimuli are sound waves, which are mechanical, pressure waves
that move through a medium, such as air or water. There are no sound waves in a
vacuum .
Evaluation
Plenary : Wrap up by the teacher
Summarized by the learners- the whole topic will be
summarized by one or two learners in their words.

Next topic will be announced.( Aplications of ultrasound )

HW :
Did we able to
1. Define the term 'ultrasound'.
2. State the range of sounds which humans can hear
3. Describe how the amplitude of a sound affects its
loudness.
4. Describe how the frequency of a sound affects its pitch
What is your feeling about the
class today? Circle one face

THANK YOU
 Third term
Grade 8 Physics
Engaging starter
 Discovery of topic
Chapter 8 :Sound
Topic : Seeing and Hearing Sound
Pg No.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Setting of standards
 Thumbs up, down and sideways
 Objective
 Define the term 'ultrasound'.
 State the range of sounds which humans can hear
 Describe how the amplitude of a sound affects its
loudness.
 Describe how the frequency of a sound affects its pitch.
Vocabulary words

Key words

1. Amplitude

2. Frequency

3. Hertz

4. Ultrasound
Presentation of lesson
Topic : Seeing and Hearing Sound
 Applications of ultrasound

Sonar
Sonar is a method used to measure the depth of water or to locate an underwater object. Figure 12.23 shows how this
works.

Figure 12.23: Using sonar to measure depth. What effect might the fish have?
A pulse of ultrasound is sent down from a boat and reflects from the seabed. The time taken for the reflected pulse to be
received is measured. This is used, with the speed of sound in water to calculate the depth of the water.
Applications of ultrasound
Sonar is a method used to measure the depth of water or to locate an underwater
object.
Ultrasound can be used to detect flaws inside materials.
Ultrasound is also used in medicine

SET A: A ship sends out an ultrasound pulse and receives the echo after 3 seconds.
The speed of sound in water is 1500 m/s. Calculate the depth of the water.
distance = speed x time = 1500 m/s x 3 s = 4500 m
depth = 4500 m/2 = 2250 m
Ultrasound can be used to detect flaws inside materials. A small crack in a metal girder
could cause a building to collapse. Figure 12.24 shows ultrasound being passed through
uncracked (A) and cracked (B) metal. The original and reflected pulses are shown on
oscilloscope trace A. Oscilloscope trace B has an extra peak. This indicates to the
engineers that some ultrasound is being reflected from a crack or flaw inside the metal.
Ultrasound is also used in medicine (Figure 12.25). Ultrasonic waves are partially
reflected from boundaries between different materials, such as the chambers of a
patient's heart, or a fetus. Computer analysis of the reflected waves produces an
image.
SET A: A ship sends out an ultrasound pulse and receives the echo after 3 seconds. The speed of sound in water is 1500 m/s.
Calculate the depth of the water.
distance = speed x time = 1500 m/s x 3 s = 4500 m
depth = 4500 m/2 = 2250 m

SET B : A ship positioned above a shoal of fish (Figure 12.27) sends out an ultrasound pulse and receives two reflected
pulses, one after 0.2 seconds and the other after 0.5 seconds. The speed of sound in water is 1500 m/s.
aCalculate the depth of the sea.
375 m

bCalculate the depth of the shoal of fish.

Ans. 150 m

c Explain why the first reflected pulse lasts for longer than the second.
Ans. The fish are at different depths so there
are lots of small echoes rather than one
distinct one
Applications of ultrasound
Sonar is a method used to measure the depth of water or to locate an underwater
object.
Ultrasound can be used to detect flaws inside materials.
Ultrasound is also used in medicine
Figure 12.19: As the student blows, he creates vibrations in the air. The vibrations are
detected by the microphone and converted to electrical signals, which are displayed
on the oscilloscope.

The vibration from a musical instrument is complicated because it is produced by

vibrations of the air and the instrument itself. A signal generator can be used to
produce a pure sound wave. Pure notes are easier to measure, but not so musical.

The oscilloscope trace that represents a pure note is a simple curve as shown in
Figure 12.20a. When representing a musical note from a particular musical
instrument, the pattern is more complicated. Figures 12.20b and c show this.

figure 12.20: The three representations of sound waves shown here are all the same
note. Each wave has a repeating pattern. The design of the instrument adds extra
vibrations called overtones which give each instrument its distinctive sound. All
three waves have four repeats, meaning that they all are the same note.
Note • high frequency means high pitch
• large amplitude means loud sound.
Young humans can hear sounds from 20 Hz up to 20 000 Hz. As we grow older, the sensory cells in the
ear which detect vibrations deteriorate. This means that the range of sounds which can be heard decreases with age. These
cells can also be damaged by repeated exposure to very loud noise.
Sounds which have a higher frequency than 20 000 Hz are too high pitched to be heard by
the human ear. These sounds are known as ultrasound.
Many animals can hear high pitched sounds that we cannot. Many animals such as dolphins communicate using
ultrasound. Whistles creating ultrasound can be used to train animals (Figure 12.22).
Glossary
Figure 12.22: This whistle was invented by a scientist called Francis Galton in around 1900 to help him investigate human
hearing.
 Seeing and Hearing Sound
A cathode ray oscilloscope and microphone can be used to represent sounds on a display
screen (Figure 12.19). The microphone picks up the sound and converts it to an electrical
signal. The oscilloscope converts this to a line which represents the vibrations that make up
the sound wave.
Young humans can hear sounds from 20 Hz up to 20 000 Hz.
Sounds which have a higher frequency than 20 000 Hz are too high pitched to be heard by
the human ear. These sounds are known as ultrasound.
 SET A State the range of sound a young person can typically hear.
Ans.20–20 000 Hz
SET B Describe what happens to this range as the person gets older. What else can
have this effect on hearing?
Ans. The range gets smaller. Exposure to very loud sounds can also have this effect.

SET C Figure 12.26 shows the traces produced on an oscilloscope by three different
sounds.

Figure 12.26: Three sounds produced on an oscilloscope.

a Which sound is quietest? Explain your answer.

Ans. 1 as it has the smallest amplitude

b Which two sounds have the same pitch? Explain your answer.
Ans. 1 and 2. They have the same frequency (the same number of waves can be seen on
the screen)
Biology _ Auditory stimuli are sound waves, which are mechanical, pressure waves
that move through a medium, such as air or water. There are no sound waves in a
vacuum .
Evaluation
Plenary : Wrap up by the teacher
Summarized by the learners- the whole topic will be
summarized by one or two learners in their words.

Next topic will be announced.( Aplications of ultrasound )

HW :
Did we able to
1. Define the term 'ultrasound'.
2. State the range of sounds which humans can hear
3. Describe how the amplitude of a sound affects its
loudness.
4. Describe how the frequency of a sound affects its pitch
What is your feeling about the
class today? Circle one face

THANK YOU