Sound

f(5 Conceptual map

Sound

Production Transmission Pitch Loudness

Vibrations Need a Amount Effects of

medium of energy
of objects noise
to travel

Distance Sources
of noise
pollution
Gas Liquid Solid
Ways to
reduce and
prevent
noise
pollution

rn How does sound_travel?

S_ound is a form of energy caused by vibrations of objects. When an object

vibrates, it causes the surrounding air molecules to vibrate and these vibrations
are carried to our ears. Therefore, we hear them as sound.

Sound needs a medium to travel. The media can be gases like air, liquids like
Water and solids like a wall. Sound cannot travel through a vacuum.

Chapter 5 ."51/..
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 EQ Piich and loudness of sound
Pitch
• Th frequency of a sound is the
Pitch is how low or how high a sound is.. . e
number of vibrations in a second and its unit 1s hertz (Hz).

\
\ ~.,..... I

As a tuba player blows air into a tuba, the air molecules

vibrate at a low frequency in the long tube of the tuba.
Therefore, the sound produced by a tuba has a low pitch .

The air molecules blown into a whistle vibrates at a high

frequency. Therefore, the whistle produces a high-pitched
sound.

Loudness
The loudness of a sound depends on the amount of energy in the vibration of
a sound. A loud sound carries more energy whereas a soft sound carries less
energy.

/ (I);, Heard as
/ ~ loud sound Energy

\) )/))reduc)ed i
Heard as
softsound

1/ I

As the sound travels, some of its energy is used up to pass along the vibrations
from the source to our ears. As we are further away from a source of a sound ,
the sound becomes fainter as the amount of energy is reduced.

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@"oise

Decibels
180
Rocket taking off } Instant damage
170 1 - --r,,~j-- - --=--- - - - - - to eardrum
160

----- -"'~~~~~t::::::====
150
140
130
If- cause
Soundsdiscomfort
which
and pain
120
110 r--- =
-=- = -=----- ------~,,;£=.=c;,,~ - Frequent exposure
causes permanent
}
90 , -:::------ - - - - - -----"~=-- damage to the ear

80
70 Loud

60
50
40 Quiet
30
20
10 Falling leaves} Barely
0 heard
Loudness

Noises are loud and unpleasant sounds. The loudness of a sound can be
measured using a sound level meter and its unit is decibels (dB). Listening
to noises above 90 dB for an extended period of time can damage our ears
and cause deafness. Noises from construction sites, rock music and aircraft
contribute to noise pollution.

Ways to reduce and prevent noise pollution :

• Keep the volume of the radio or television at a reasonable level to reduce
noise pollution to our surroundings.
• We must wear ear protectors when working with loud machines.
• We should also stay away from the sources of noise.

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ChaptecS
1¥Mw.MM6
1. a. What is sound?

b. What does sound need to travel?

c. Can sound travel through a vacuum?

d. In outer space, can an astronaut hear any sound? Why?

2. the correct statements and cross (X) the incorrect statements.

a. Sound needs a medium to pass on the vibrations ...................... (

b. Vacuum is a good medium for sound to travel. .. ........... .. .. .. .. ...... (

c. Sound can only travel through gases ..................................... ..... (

d. We can hear better by using earplugs . ... ... ... .. ..... .... ... .. .... ... ....... (

e. In outer space, the astronauts shout at each other for

communication ..... ..... .... ... .... ... .... ......... .. ...................... ............ ... (

f. A whistle produces a high-pitched sound ........................ ..... ....... (

g. Sound can be made louder or softer. ..... ....... .. ... ....... ... ..... ...... .. .. (

h. A loud sound carries less energy than a soft sound. .......... .... .... (

i. The sound of a radio becomes softer when we walk further

away from it. .... .... ..... .. .... .. ..... ......... ... ... .... ..... .. ... ... .. ... ... .............. (

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3. The underlined words are incorrect. Write the correct words in the boxes.

a. Frequency is how high or how low a sound is . .............. . ( J

::=:::==:
b. The pitch depends on the
::=:::::·

.. ........ .. .... .. ...... .. .. ........ ( J

c. Frequency is the number of high notes in a second ....... ( J
d. The unit for frequency is decibels . ........ .... .. ...... ........ .... .. ( J
e. The of a sound depends on the size of vibration .. .. ( J
4. The diagram on the right shows a plastic ruler being pressed down at the
edge of a table.
a. What happens when the finger releases the
ruler?

b. Give a word to describe the movement of the

ruler.

c. The pitch of the sound produced depends on the frequency of the

movement of the ruler.
i. If the ruler moves slowly, what can you say about the frequency of
the movement of the ruler? Does the sound produced have a high
pitch or a low pitch?

ii. If the ruler moves quickly, what can you say about the frequency of
the movement of the ruler? Does the sound produced have a high
pitch or a low pitch?

Chapter 5 ."S'l'i
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5. a. What vibrates when we speak or sing?

b. What is the medium that the sound travels through when we talk to our
friends?

c. What are the other media that sound can travel through?

d. When we are near to a radio, can we hear a loud sound or soft sound?

e. When we are standing far away from the radio, can we hear a loud
sound or a soft sound? Why is it so?

6. a. What are noises?

b. What is the unit for measuring the loudness of sounds?

c. Name two main sources of noise in our country.

d. What is the negative effect of noise?

e. How do we protect our ears from loud noises?

1. Which of the following statements 4. Which of the following is true
is true about sound?
about a high-pitched sound?
A Sound is a form of energy A It has a high frequency.
caused by vibrations of
objects. 8 It has a low frequency.
B Sound can travel through C It has a weak vibration.
vacuum . D It can travel through a vacuum .
C Sound can travel through
gases only. 5. When someone knocks on
your door, you can hear it
D A loud sound has less energy
because sound travels through
than a soft sound.
_ _ _ _ to reach you.
I solid
2. Sound can travel through
II liquid
I gases II liquids Ill gas
Ill solids IV a vacuum A I only
A I and II only 8 I and Ill only
B I, II and Ill only C II and Ill only

C 11, Ill and IV only D I, II and Ill

D I, Ill and IV only
6. The diagram below shows a
Red Indian putting his ear to the
3. What is the instrument used ground. Why?
to measure the loudness of a
sound?
A Barometer
' ,-.... '
B Thermometer ' ·1

C Spring balance :
2~~- .:.-':
' 'I

D Sound level meter

 A He was praying. a. The frequency of a sound gives
the sound its
B He was searching for a new
ground to set up a fire. A loudness B pitch

C He was looking for a new C tone D quality

batch of horses.
D He was listening to the sound 9. Which of the following is true
of distant horses. about noise?
I It is unpleasant.
7. The diagram below shows four II It is loud.
test tubes filled with different
amounts of water. Which test Ill It can travel through a vacuum.
tube will produce a high-pitched A I and II only
sound when it is blown at the
B I and Ill only
mouth?
A C II and Ill only
D I, II and Ill

10. The loudness of a sound can be

measured in
A hertz B joule
C decibels D seconds

1 ,S1:1bjectiw,,e1.Questions1J

1. A student taps lightly on one end of a long table.

a. What will happen if you place your ear on th e Oth er end of the table?

76 8c1c ncc, Prntromsu<so s

 b. Why is this so?

c. What can we conclude from this activity?

2. Susan presses a ruler at the 20 cm mark as shown

in the diagram. She then bends the remaining ruler
downward and releases it. The ruler vibrates. She
observes it and listens to the sound produced. Then
she repeats the activity by pressing the ruler at the
3 cm mark. She observes it and listens to the sound
produced too. Her observations are recorded in the
table below.

Length of the ruler Vibration Frequency Pitch

Long Slow

Short Fast

a. Fill in the blanks in the table above with the words 'high' or 'low'.

b. What do frequency and pitch mean?

i. Frequency : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
ii. Pitch

C. What is the relationship between the

?
length of the vibrating ruler and the
frequency of the sound produced .

d. What is the unit for measuring frequency?

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