Answers to Readers' Questions on Sound. Also refer to physics, waveform, vibration, compression, matter, vacuum, characteristics, amplitude, volume, velocity, speed, air, frequency, pitch, wavelength, ear, microphone, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions
Answers to Readers' Questions on Sound
The following 68 questions have been answered. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- EM waves and sound system
- We discovered dark matter and invisible sound
- Why does tuning fork on table sound louder?
- Name of an insect with a month in its name
- Why non-living things move?
- Which voice can be heard first? Child or adult?
- Can sound waves be controlled?
- Does sound travel forever?
- Sound in a dense material
- Experiment on sound absorption materials
EM waves and sound system
Question
November 20, 2009
dear sir,
tell me why is Em waves prefers on sound system?
and why sound can't be used?
- Pakistan
18707
Answer
Electromagnetic waves (EM waves) are used to bring in the radio signals to a sound system. The electronics changes the waveforms into electrical signals, which move the sound system speakers and create sound waves.
We discovered dark matter and invisible sound
Question
October 13, 2009
We discovered dark matter, and my understanding is, dark matter is the reason for the existence of gravity or other magnetic fields on earth, and an else where in our universe. Is like our whole universe is in an ocean of dark matter. There isn't any technology that exist that can tract or measure the movement of animate particles, sound waves being one of them, in space. Sound waves in our universe is invisible to any technology available.
Samuel - USA
18494
Answer
Sound waves are vibrations in matter, such as air. There are devices to make them visible, such as ultrasound devices.
For more on dark matter, see our lesson at:
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/gravitation_dark_matter_energy.htm
Why does tuning fork on table sound louder?
Question
October 8, 2009
Why will a struck tuning fork sound louder when it is held against a table?
Mpho - SA
18453
Answer
The table starts to vibrate or resonate, which amplifies the sound.
Name of an insect with a month in its name
Question
August 21, 2009
Please tell us the name of an insect with a month in its name?
Gouri - UAE
18176
Answer
Mayfly and Junebug
Why non-living things move?
Question
August 21, 2009
Would like to know the reasons for a train moves and makes a sound but it is non living thing
Gouri - UAE
18175
Answer
Many non-living things move and make sounds. Humans have made engines for the train to move. Sounds are vibrations in the air, caused by movement of objects.
Which voice can be heard first? Child or adult?
Question
August 6, 2009
which voice can hear first when both adult and child spoke loudly at a distance if child voice hear first so why.
inayatullah - Nigeria
18119
Answer
The sound from the the adult and the child should arrive at the same time.
The child has a higher pitches voice, so the sound may travel better than the adult's voice. The sound of the child's voice does not arrive sooner, but it is heard better.
Can sound waves be controlled?
Question
August 5, 2009
1.Can sound waves be controlled?
i mean to say sound is a disturbance which proceed in all direction
can we limitise it in one direction?
If yes than how/
full information required inclusive of all the minute point
Thank you
reply as soon as possible
max time 1+1/2 day ie..in 36 hrs
Ashish - India
18111
Answer
The loudspeaker that creates the sound can't control what do proceed in a very narrow band or allow it to spread out, according to the design and intention of the loudspeaker.
Does sound travel forever?
Question
July 4, 2009
Is sound eternal in the sense that light is eternal? Do the waves continue on vibrating just at lower frequencies? The marble, though solid, vibrates as determined by the Bovis scale. So will sound continue as light from a star continues past its extinguished source.
John - USA
17977
Answer
Neither light or sound is eternal. The wavelength or frequency does not change as the wave proceeds. Rather, it us the amplitude of the wave.
Each spreads out from its source, reducing its amplitude. Also, absorption from other materials reduces the amplitude, such that soon there is not enough energy to distinguish the waveform.
Also realize that sound must travel through matter. It does not travel through empty space.
The Bovis scale concerns dowsing and human energy. It is not related to sound or wave frequencies.
Sound in a dense material
Question
June 29, 2009
What happens when a densely compressed sound wave is left in a densely atomized Vacuum at a very high temperature? As we know that at higher temperatures the sound is high, so is it not possible to create electric effect from it, using higher highly dense sound wave to propagate through a vacuum of highly dense atom?
mohit - India
17956
Answer
A vacuum is an area where there are no atoms. You normally don't talk of a vacuum that is densely populated with atoms.
Note that sound does not travel through a vacuum. Sound requires some material in order to travel.
A compressed sound wave would mean that its wavelength is shorter or it has a higher frequency.
Piezoelectric devices can create electricity from sound waves.
Experiment on sound absorption materials
Question
May 6, 2006
Hi there!
firstly, great site, it has been both helpful and informative to me on the science of sound.
However, with my physics student research project due in 3 weeks, I am still unclear on how I should proceed to test my hypothesis, which is that 'Cork is the best wood for sound insulation'.
I am hoping to test 4 differant types of wood (with same thickness), could you please give me some examples of what types would be most suitable to test?
Also, for my sound source, I was wondering if I should use a tuning fork or a constant sound recorded on a tape recorder? Which is more accurate?
Finally, I am unclear on how to actually set-up and conduct such an experiment to test which wood type absorbs the most sound...That is my most important question! I would appreciate it so much if you could please help me out with my experiment.
Thanks a lot :)
Kind regards,
Pam
Pamela - Australia
11033
Answer
That seems like a good experiment. What you are measuring is the amount of sound transmitted after some is absorbed or reflected. Since absorption can vary with wavelength or frequency of the sound, using a tuning fork would give you data for that specific frequency or pitch. Although you could use a constant sound made up of several frequencies, using a single one is the best. Once the experiment is set up, you can try different sources of sound.
You need a meter that measures the amplitude of the sound detected from the microphone. Some computer sound recording software can indicate the volume of the sound recorded. Plus, you can save the sound for further examination.
A big problem is sound passing around the sample of material. You could put the tuning fork in a box, with the sample as one wall. This would eliminate much of the extra signal. Even if you just used the sample, the extra sound going around the sample would be constant for each type of wood you used.
As a baseline, measure the volume with no sample. Then try each one. They should all be the same size and thickness.
You might change your experiment to find which is the best insulator, using a given thickness of cork, wood, and any other type of board material at that thickness. In that way, you are not biased to have cork be the best. Perhaps cardboard is better?
I hope that helps. Best wishes in your project.
Also see:
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/noise_reduction.htm
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/sound_obstacles.htm
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Answers to Readers' Questions on Sound