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Sound Waves

Sound waves are a mechanical oscillation of pressure. It is a series of vibrations that can be heard.

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Does radio waves affect sound waves?

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Not much, but interestingly enough, the reverse has been used on aircraft carriers.

When the fighter is approaching the carrier to land, the carrier will be sailing forwards reasonably fast. The airflow over the deck of the carrier will descend sharply just behind the flight deck, and the fighter will be pressed down by this airflow - which could lead to the approach being too low.

The carrier can emit a series of high volume audio chirps at a few kilohertz, and this compression wave will alter the density of the air behind the carrier. This slight difference in air pressure can be detected by radar, thus the actual airflow may be seen. This info is then embedded in the data fed to the pilot as he approaches the landing zone.

What is the wavelength of an object?

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The wavelength of a signal is calculated by c/f. C is the velocity of the wave and f the frequency of the signal.

Wavelength is defined as the distance between any two successive crests or troughs in case of a mechanical wave.

In case of longitudinal wave, the distance between two successive compressions or rarefactions will be the wavelength.

In case of electromagnetic wave c/f will be the wavelength

What are the differences between sound waves and water waves?

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sound waves are created by things that make sounds like sombody speaking or instruments. water waves are created by wind.

Is the loudness of a sound wave is related to its amplitude?

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From a wave model perspective, the intensity of a sound (i.e. its "loudness") is dependent on the amount of energy that the sound wave carries. The energy of the wave is proportional to the amplitude, how far the wave goes up and down. Thus, the intensity of voice is dependent on how much force you applied to the air passing through your vocal cords, thus displacing them more (thus a bigger amplitude). Try it, put your hand to your throat and feel which sound is more noticeable (when you whisper, or when you shout).

What kinds of waves are sound waves?

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sound waves are compression waves, or longitudinal waves. sounds that we hear are actually just compressions and rarefactions of air particles, meaning the air particles move closer together for a time period then spread apart farther then they normally would rarefaction)

What are common to sound waves and mechanical waves?

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The energy in a sound wave is both kinetic and potential.

Just as in a vibrating spring, the medium has mass and moves and so moving mass is kinetic energy.

Just as in the spring there is compression and rarefaction, so there is elastic potential energy.

In fact, these two are equal, potential energy = kinetic energy, just like a spring.

Just like in a vibrating spring, the total energy is constant and equal to the average kinetic energy plus the average potential energy.

When describing waves wavelength refers to the wave's?

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The wavelength is the length (distance) between two adjacent crests (or troughs, or any other part of the wave which starts repeating).

What are properties or characteristics of sound?

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what are the 2 important charactristics of sound? what are the 2 important charactristics of sound?

When a 440 Hz sound is sent through steel a wWhat is the speed of a sound wave that has a wavelength of 1.2 meters and a frequency of 250 Hz?

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When a 440 Hz sound is sent through steel, a wavelength of 11.6 meters is measured. What is the velocity of the sound through steel

How can you prevent sounds from traveling?

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Sounds, once created, cannot be "prevented" from traveling. A "sound" becomes a sound only because it has already traveled, even if only for an instant. Because sounds are compression waves, they need a medium through which to travel. A sound will continue to travel until it as dispersed or been absorbed to the point that it can no longer be detected.

In a vacuum, there's an absolute lack of material. In this condition, a sound cannot even be created, let alone travel. So if you wanted to prevent a sound from occurring, attempt to make a sound in a vacuum. There will be no sound at all through the vacuum. However, even in this situation, the material you used in attempts to create a sound will transmit a sound wave.

If a sound as been generated and started travelling, it can be attenuated by absorption which limits or prevent the sound from being present although still very close to the "travelling sound". There are a variety of acoustic insulating materials that can be used for this absorption. Thick foam is used on conventional headphones to limit sound travel.

The one thing that is more effective than absorption that can be used is an active sound generator that can detect and transmit the inverse sound waves. This results in the sound waves being cancelled. This method is used by the sound-cancelling headphones.

What are the 3 types of sounds?

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There are 3 main classifications of sound. These sounds can be classified by volume, by source, and also by intent.

Do sound waves transport matter?

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If you hold a lit match in front of a sub woofer that is producing low frequency sound waves you should see the fire move. Also, if you hold your hand in front of the sub woofer you should feel vibrations. These vibrations are caused by the particles in your hand moving due to the sound wave produced by the sub woofer. I think these examples are simple proof that sound waves can move things :) Although, it is sound, it is also energy. Remember, energy is never created or destroyed; it only changes form. In this case, electomagnetic energy is changed into sound waves. Energy is still energy, no matter what form. This being said, the energy produced by a sound wave is a lot less powerful/useful than something like combustion which is why we use combustion for our main means of moving things (think transportation). Hope this helps!

Do all animals hear the same?

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Hello again,

The sounds are heard not just by their tones., but for some they feel the vibrations on the ground and some have the accute sense of smell. it would take me a long time to explain this...go to the local Library and read about it from raptors to todays eagles to the thrree toed sloth. Read listen and learn.

Can the Doppler effect occurs only with sound waves?

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yes it is true for all waves.

What is being carried by sound waves?

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Sound waves are carried throw the air. But sound waves can also travel throw liquids, such as water, and even through solids.

What is the loudness of sound of the normal conversation?

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The sound of a normal conversation is 60dB (decibels) and a close range jet is 140dB. This makes a jet at close range over 2 times as many decibels than a close range jet.

The sound of a normal conversation is 60dB (decibels) and a close range jet is 140dB. This makes a jet at close range over 2 times as many decibels than a normal conversation.

The above answer is FALSE:

The decibel scale is logarithmic and thus a 140 dB sound would be 10^14 above 0 decibel; the 60 dB sound would be 10^6 above 0 decibel. Thus the close range jet is around 10^(14 - 6) = 10^8, or 100,000,000 times the loudness of a normal conversation.

Which type of sound wave can not be detected by humans?

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Humans can hear with in a range of 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz. Below 20 Hz is infrasound, and above 20,000 Hz (20 kHz) is ultrasound.

What is pitch of sound?

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The pitch of a sound is the number of vibrations per second the instrument produces. An orchestra is pitched to the A above Middle C which vibrates at 440 cycles per second.

What happenes why rubber absourbs soundwaves?

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1) The rubber itself is a poor conductor but good absorber, of sound.

2) The myriad of air-filled foam cells individually act as acoustic absorbers by both the impedance mis-match between air and rubber at their walls, and by the complex acoustics of the air bubbles.

What is the wavelength of 34000Hz ultrasonic wave in air?

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f, frequency: 680Hz (Hertz, cycles per second);

c, speed of sound in air : 343 m/s;

find λ, wavelength.

using c = λ * f; therefore: λ = c / f

λ = c / f = 343 / 680 = 0.5m

How can a microphone and oscilloscope show a sound wave?

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The microphone reacts to changes in air pressure and creates corresponding AC electical waveforms.

The oscilloscope takes the AC waveforms and deflects a moving electron beam in a cathode ray tube, thus producing a moving display of the electrical waveform.