Wave Characteristics and Sound Quiz

The maximum displacement of a particle of medium on either side of its mean position.

Time for one complete wave vibration.

Vibrations per second in a wave.

A wave where particles vibrate parallel to the wave's direction

Frequency (f) = 1 / Time period (T).

A mechanical wave that needs a medium to be carried.

A wave that needs a material (medium) to travel.

The substance through which a wave travels, like air, water, or wood.

Part of a sound wave where air particles are close together.

Part of a sound wave where air particles are spread apart.

Back-and-forth movement of an object.

How sound travels through a medium by transferring energy.

The distance a wave travels in one complete vibration of a particle in the medium.

A graph that shows how the displacement of a particle at a specific point in the medium changes over time as a wave passes.

A graph that shows the displacement of particles at different positions in the medium at a specific moment in time.

The perceived intensity of a sound, determined by the amplitude of the sound wave.

The perceived highness or lowness of a sound, determined by the frequency of the sound wave.

The intensity of a sound, determined by the amplitude of the sound wave (how much the particles of the medium vibrate).

Loudness is determined by the amplitude of the sound wave.

Larger amplitude means louder sound, smaller amplitude means softer sound.

How high or low a sound is, determined by the frequency of the sound wave.

Pitch is determined by the frequency of the sound wave.

The loudness of a sound is directly related to the amplitude of its wave. Larger amplitude means louder sound.

Decibels (dB) measure the loudness of sound. A 10 dB increase means 10 times louder.

Safe sound levels are between 0 dB and 80 dB. Sounds over 120 dB can damage your hearing.

Pitch describes how high or low a sound is, determined by vibration frequency. Loudness describes how strong the sound is, determined by wave amplitude.

Higher frequency sounds have a higher pitch (shriller), while lower frequency sounds have a lower pitch (flatter).

Pitch is altered by changing the thickness and tension of strings, and where you pluck or strike the string.

Pitch is altered by changing the length of the vibrating air column, often by opening/closing holes.

A crying baby's sound has a higher frequency (shriller) than an adult's voice due to differences in vocal cords.

Rubbing faster creates a higher frequency (shriller sound) because the vibrations are more frequent.

The primary factor is the frequency of the sound waves.

Instruments use similar terms like 'bass' for low frequencies and 'treble' for high frequencies.

The loudness of sound depends on factors like amplitude of vibration, distance from the source, surface area of the vibrating object, and the listener's sensitivity.

A larger amplitude of vibration means more energy is transferred, resulting in a louder sound. Think of a bigger swing on a pendulum, sending more energy to the ground.

The farther away you are from a sound source, the quieter it gets because the sound waves spread over a larger area.

A larger vibrating surface generates a louder sound because it transfers more energy. Think of a bigger drum making a deeper sound.

The loudness of a sound can also be affected by the listener's hearing ability. People with more sensitive ears perceive sounds as louder.

Loudness is directly proportional to the square of the amplitude. Doubling the amplitude makes the sound four times louder.

Decibel scale is used to measure sound because it better reflects how we perceive sound loudness. It's more practical for measuring loudness than directly using amplitude.

A metal instrument that produces a specific, pure tone when struck. It is used for reference in tuning musical instruments.

The unique quality or characteristic of a sound that allows us to distinguish between different instruments or voices, even if they produce the same pitch and loudness.

You can create a basic guitar-like instrument using a shoebox, cardboard cylinder, rubber bands, and tape. The rubber bands act as strings, and you can adjust their tension to change the pitch.

A thicker string on a stringed instrument vibrates more slowly, resulting in a lower pitch.

Increasing the tension of a string on a stringed instrument makes it vibrate faster, resulting in a higher pitch.

Plucking a string closer to its fixed end produces a higher pitch because a shorter segment of the string vibrates.

In wind instruments, a shorter air column vibrates faster, producing a higher pitch.

Opening holes on wind instruments effectively shortens the vibrating air column, producing a higher pitch.

The pitch of a sound produced by a stringed instrument is determined by the thickness and tension of the string, as well as the location where the string is plucked.

A longer air column in a wind instrument vibrates slower producing a lower pitch, while a shorter air column vibrates faster, producing a higher pitch.

Holes in wind instruments change the length of the vibrating air column. Opening a hole effectively shortens the column, raising the pitch, while closing a hole lengthens it, lowering the pitch.

The length of an air column in a tube affects the pitch of sound produced. Longer column = lower pitch, shorter column = higher pitch.

The tension and size of a stretched membrane (like on a drum) influence sound pitch. Tighter and smaller = higher pitch, looser and bigger = lower pitch.

The unique sound signature of an instrument or voice. It's formed by the combination of different frequencies and their strengths (amplitudes).

The visual representation of a sound wave. It's determined by the unique combination of frequencies and amplitudes in a sound.

Different instruments produce different waveforms even at the same pitch and loudness. This difference in waveform is what allows us to distinguish one instrument from another.

Additional frequencies produced alongside the fundamental frequency of a sound, contributing to its unique timbre.

Amplitude of a sound wave is directly related to its loudness or intensity. Higher amplitude means louder sound.