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what are the properties of sound? |
Sound is a form of energy carried by waves of vibrating particles. These waves can travel through soilds, liquids and gases. Sound cannot travel in vaccum. It requires a medium to travel. Some forms of energy require a medium to travel. Sound is one of them, for which the medium air is necessary. Since a vibrating object passes the vibrations to the air molecules,it means that the sound travels in a medium. Three characteristics of sound : loudness, pitch and quality. i) Loudness is the sensation produced in the ear which enables to distinguish between a loud and a faint sound. It depends upon intensity of sound and sensitiveness of the ear. ii) Pitch of a sound is that subjective property which distinguishes a sharp sound from a dull sound. Pitch depends on frequency of the source (v). iii) Quality is that subjective characteristic of sound which enables us to distinguish between two sounds of the same loudness and the same pitch but emitted by two different sources. The quality of sound depends on the waveform which is determined by the number of overtones present and their respective intensities. |