10 Questions
What is the primary factor that allows infrasound to travel long distances without losing much power?
Low absorption and large wavelength
Which of the following is a symptom caused by intense infrasonic noise?
Respiratory impairment
Infrasound is used in the study of heart mechanical function through which of the following methods?
Seismocardiogram
What is the frequency range of ultrasound?
Greater than 20kHz
Which of the following media makes it difficult to minimize the effects of infrasound?
Most media
In clinical applications, ultrasound is often preferred over X-rays because it:
Provides more information and is less hazardous to the fetus
Which of the following phenomena is typically associated with infrasound?
Visual hallucinations
What is the unit of sound wave intensity?
Watts per square meter (W/m²)
What range of frequencies is audible to the human ear?
20Hz to 20kHz
Which type of sound waves are used to study heart mechanical function?
Infrasound
Study Notes
Sonic Spectrum
- Sonic spectrum can be classified into three frequency ranges: infrasound, audible sound, and ultrasound, based on frequency and atmospheric pressure.
- Infrasound: less than 20Hz, produced by natural phenomena like earthquake waves and atmospheric pressure changes.
- Audible Sound: 20Hz to 20kHz, audible to the human ear.
- Ultrasound: greater than 20kHz.
Infrasonic Effect on the Human Body
- Infrasound can travel long distances without losing much power due to its low absorption and large wavelength.
- Infrasound can travel through most media, making it difficult to minimize its effects.
- Intense infrasonic noise causes clear symptoms including respiratory impairment and aural pain.
- Other potential effects include fear, visual hallucinations, and chills.
Applications of Infrasound and Ultrasound
- Infrasound is used to study heart mechanical function through seismocardiograms.
- Ultrasound is used clinically in several specialties, providing more information than X-rays and being less hazardous to the fetus.
Intensity of a Sound Wave
- Intensity of a sound wave (I) is the energy carried by the wave per unit area and per unit time (W/m²).
- Intensity can be expressed by the maximum change in the wave per unit area and per unit time (W/m²).
- The characteristics of a substance affect the intensity of a sound wave, with factors including density (ρ), velocity (v), and acoustic impedance (Z).
Learn about the three frequency ranges of the sonic spectrum, including infrasound, audible sound, and ultrasound, and their effects on the human body.
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