When sound travels in a given medium, it strikes the surface of another medium and bounces back in some other direction, this phenomenon is called the reflection of sound. The waves are called the incident and reflected sound waves. (Waves are waves whether they are sound or light waves!) What about diffraction of a sound wave? It means that sound waves can bend around a wall, or pass through small openings and move out in all directions. Something like that. Or this....a good example is radio waves that bend around tall buildings. Sound waves diffract when they pass through a door. The sound spreads and fills the room on the other side of the door. Try standing out in the hallway by our classroom and talk. Can the people inside the class hear you? This is diffraction. Are sound waves just like light waves then? Yes and no. Sound diffraction is more pronounced than light diffraction, sound waves are much larger than light waves. Sound travels by longitudinal waves, or waves in which the movement of vibration is in the same direction as the wave itself. Longitudinal waves radiate outward in concentric circles, rather like the rings of a bull's-eye. Like that. Short-wavelength sound waves are less capable of diffracting around large objects than are long-wave length sound waves. When listening to sounds the most easily heard sounds from inside the concert hall are the bass and drums; higher-pitched notes from a guitar or other instruments, such as a piccolo, are not as likely to reach a listener outside. Interesting huh? Happy Easter, don't eat too much and toot your horn about cool science!
11 Comments
Sofia
4/15/2017 10:06:28 am
Just double-checking, if noise has shorter waves, it can expand?
Reply
jenna
4/15/2017 10:30:33 pm
this helps a lot thanks
Reply
Ema Martinez
4/16/2017 08:36:42 am
The pictures helped explain a lot!
Reply
Caden
4/16/2017 07:48:54 pm
The pictures are cool
Reply
Katelyn Ashton
4/16/2017 08:36:44 pm
SOUND WAVES!!
Reply
Zane
4/16/2017 08:45:48 pm
thats so cool
Reply
Paige
4/17/2017 07:22:55 am
Thank you and Happy Easter to you too! Also that was interesting but very confusing at the same time.
Reply
Zaya
4/17/2017 07:26:13 am
Great pictures! The lab on Friday was so fun! It was so cool to see that sound waves travel from the cup to the other cup!
Reply
Haley
4/17/2017 07:26:34 am
I liked the moving pictures, they helped me understand sound waves better.
Reply
sinjin
4/17/2017 07:36:38 am
it was so cool thanks
Reply
Dejagiraffegirl
4/17/2017 05:18:24 pm
Awesome!!!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |