SACHDEVA MILLENNIUM SCHOOL

CLASS IX
PHYSICS
CH:SOUND
● Submission of notebook for chapter SOUND is on 16/12/24 (Monday)
● Mind maps / key notes / keywords are attached here with the pdf. Printout may be taken
and elaborated in his/her own words in the notebook.
● The notes may be copied only if the child is unable to elaborate the notes.
● THE NOTES ARE SENT IN PDF FOR THE HELP OF THE STUDENTS. IT IS NOT
COMPULSORY TO COPY THEM . THE STUDENTS MAY WRITE NOTES ON HIS/HER
OWN.

Sound is a form of energy which produces a sensation of hearing in our ears.

Production of Sound
Sound is produced due to vibration (kind of rapid to and fro motion) of different
objects.
For example-
● Sound of the human voice is produced due to the vibrations in vocal cords in
the throat.
● Sound is produced when a bird flaps its wings.
Propagation of Sound
The disturbance created by a source of sound in a medium travels through the
medium particles but there is no bodily motion of the medium particles. The
medium particles simply vibrate to and fro about their respective equilibrium
positions and simultaneously transfer disturbance (energy) to the adjacent
particles.
● The medium through which sound is propagated can be solid or a liquid or a
gas.
● Sound energy cannot travel through vacuum.
Definition of a Wave
● A wave is any disturbance that propagates through a medium due to the
repeated vibratory motion of medium particles to and fro about their
respective mean positions.
● A wave transfers energy as well as momentum but does not transfer mass
(or matter).
Wave Motion
The motion of energy (disturbance) through a medium in the form of a wave is
called wave motion.

Mechanical Waves
The waves which require a material medium for their propagation.
For example-Sound waves,Water ripples,Waves on strings .
Types of mechanical waves-
● Longitudinal waves
● Transverse Waves

Longitudinal Waves
● waves in which medium particles vibrate back and forth about their
respective mean positions along a straight line parallel to the direction of
wave propagation.
● In a longitudinal wave ,alternate regions of compression and rarefaction are
formed in the medium.
● Compressions are the regions where medium particles are crowded together
and the density as well as pressure are high.
● Rarefactions are the regions where medium particles are spread apart and
the density as well as pressure are low.
● Can be formed in solid,liquids or gases.

Transverse Waves
● waves in which the medium particles vibrate to and fro about their respective
mean positions perpendicular (at right angles) to the direction of wave
propagation.
● Light waves, water ripples and waves on strings are transverse waves.
● In transverse waves,alternately crests and troughs are formed.
● The points on the elevation of the medium, whose distance from the mean
position is maximum, are called crests (C).
● The points on the depression of the medium at maximum distance from the
mean position are called troughs (T).
● Can be formed in solids and on liquid surfaces only.
Characteristics of a Sound Wave

(a) Amplitude (A) : The magnitude of the maximum disturbance (pressure or

density) in the medium on either side of the mean value is called the amplitude of
sound waves.
(b) Wavelength (λ): The distance between two consecutive compressions or
two consecutive rarefactions is called the wavelength.SI unit of wavelength
is meter (m).
(c) Frequency (ν): The number of oscillations completed per unit time by
the sound. Alternately, frequency of a sound wave is the number of
compressions or rarefactions crossing a particular section per unit time.
Denoted by symbol ν (Greek letter nu).The SI unit of frequency is called
hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz = 1 oscillation per second.
(d) Time period (T) : The time taken for one complete oscillation in the
density (or pressure) of the medium called the time period of the wave. The
SI unit of time period is second(s).
(e) Relation between frequency and time period of a wave-
ν= 1/T
or
T = 1/ν
frequency of a wave is reciprocal of its time period.
(f) Wave speed (v) : The distance through which a sound wave travels in
that medium in unit time. The SI unit of wave speed is m/s.
Relation between wave speed,frequency and wavelength-
Wave speed (v) = wavelength (λ) x frequency (ν)
Speed of Sound in different media
● Sound travels with a speed which is much less than the speed of
light.For example-the sound of a thunder is heard a little later than the
flash of lightning is seen.
● Speed of sound depends on the elasticity and density of the medium
through which it travels.
● Speed of sound in any medium increases with increase in temperature.
● The speed of sound decreases when we go from solid to gaseous state.
 ● The speed of sound in a medium does not depend on the frequency or
wavelength of sound waves.
Characteristics of Sound
● A sound of a single frequency is called a tone.
● The sound which is produced due to a mixture of several frequencies is
called a note.
● If the sound of a note is pleasant to listen to,it is called a musical
sound.
● If the sound of a note is unpleasant to listen to,it is termed as noise.

A musical sound is characterized by three characteristics-

(a) Pitch:
● Pitch is that characteristic of sound due to which we are able to
distinguish between a shrill (high-pitched) sound and a hoarse or flat
(low-pitched) sound.
● Pitch of a sound depends on its frequency. Higher the frequency of a
sound, higher is its pitch and sound is shriller.

(b) Loudness:
● The loudness is that characteristic of sound due to which we are able
to distinguish between a loud sound and a soft (weak) sound.
● Loudness is a subjective term which is determined basically by the
amplitude of sound.Higher the amplitude of a vibrating object,louder
the sound will be.
● Loudness is measured in decibel (dB).
(c) Quality:
The quality (or timbre) is the characteristic of sound which enables us to distinguish
between the sounds produced by different persons or different musical instruments
although the sounds may have the same amplitude and same fundamental frequency
(or sound may have the same pitch and loudness.)

Intensity of Sound
● The amount of sound energy passing per unit time through the unit area at a
place is called the intensity of sound at that place.
● If total sound energy E crosses normally on area A at a uniform rate in time t,
then intensity of sound is given as:
Intensity of sound, I = E/At
Or
I= P/A (P= power,A = Area)
● The SI unit of intensity of Sound is Jm-2 s-1 or Wm-2
● For a normal person,intensity level of 10-12 Wm-2 corresponds to zero decibel
level of loudness.
Reflection of Sound
Like light,sound also gets reflected at the surface of a solid or a liquid and it follows the
following laws of reflection:
(a) The directions of incident and reflected sound beams and the normal to the
reflecting surface at the point of incidence lie in the same plane.
(b) The angle of incidence ∠i is equal to the angle of reflection ∠r.
Echo
● The repetition of Sound caused by the reflection of Sound waves is called an
echo.
● Echo is produced when sound is reflected from a hard surface as soft surface
tends to absorb sound.
Time of Echo-
t = 2d/v ( d= distance, v= speed of sound)

● Time of echo must be at least 1/10 seconds or more.The sensation of a

particular sound persists in our brain for about 0.1 s.This is known as the
persistence of hearing.
● For hearing distinct echoes, the minimum distance of the reflecting obstacle
from the source of sound must be 17 m at 15°C. Of course, this distance will
slightly increase with increase in temperature.
Multiple Echoes
The repetitions of a sound number of times due to multiple reflections of sound from
one or more obstacles are known as multiple echoes.
Reverberation
● The phenomenon of persistence of a sound in a big hall due to repeated
reflections from the walls, ceiling and floor of the hall.
● If reverberation is too long,Sound becomes blurred,distorted and confusing due
to overlapping of different sounds.
Methods to reduce reverberation in big halls or auditoriums-
● The walls of halls should have a rough plaster so that they may absorb sound.
● Heavy curtains are put on doors and windows of the hall. They absorb sound
and reduce reverberation.
● Carpets are put on the floor to absorb sound and reduce reverberation.
● The seats arranged in the hall should be cushioned seats so as to absorb sound.
Applications of reflection of sound waves:
● Sound boards
 ● Working of a stethoscope
● Megaphones (or loud hailers), horns and musical instruments such as trumpets
Range of hearing
The audible range of Sound for human beings extends from about 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (20
kHz).
Infrasonic Sounds or Infrasounds
Mechanical sound waves of frequencies lower than 20 Hz.Waves produced by a vibrating
simple pendulum are infrasounds. Some animals like elephants. rhinoceroses and whales
produce sound in the infrasonic range.
Ultrasonic Sounds or Ultrasounds
Mechanical sound waves of frequencies higher than 20 kHz are called ultrasonic sounds or
Ultrasounds.Ultrasound Waves are produced by dolphins,bats and porpoises.
Applications of Ultrasound Waves
● In objects with parts that are difficult to reach, for example, spiral tubes and electronic
components, the process of ultrasonic cleaning is used.
● used to detect cracks in the metallic components that are used in the construction of
high-rise structures such as buildings and bridges.
● Ultrasonic waves are made to reflect from various parts of the heart and thus form the
image of the heart.This technique is called echocardiography.
● To get images of internal organs of the human body,one can use an instrument known
as ultrasound scanner.
● SONAR, Sound Navigation and Ranging is a technique in which sound waves are used to
navigate, detect and communicate under the water’s surface.
● Bats search out their prey and fly in the dark by emitting and detecting the ultrasonic waves
received after reflection. The nature of reflections tells the bat about the location and nature
of obstacles or prey.