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Sound Quiz

12 questions physics Grades 9-12

The question sheet

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  1. Sound is defined as a disturbance of matter that is:

    • Purely thermal in nature
    • Confined to solids only
    • Transmitted from its source outward
    • Always audible to humans
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Transmitted from its source outward

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: Sound can be used as a familiar illustration of waves. Because hearing is one of our most important senses, it is interesting to see how the physical properties of sound correspond to our perceptions of it. Hearing is the perception of sound, just as vision is the perception of visible light. But sound has important applications beyond hearing. Ultrasound, for example, is not heard but can be employed to form medical images and is also used in treatment. The physical phenomenon of sound is defined to be a disturbance of matter that is transmitted from its source outward. Sound is a wave. On the atomic scale, it is a disturbance of atoms that is far more ordered than their thermal motions. In many instances, sound is a periodic wave, and the atoms undergo simple harmonic motion. In this text, we shall explore such periodic sound waves. A vibrating string produces a sound wave as illustrated in Figure 17.3, Figure 17.4, and Figure 17.5. As the string oscillates back and forth, it transfers energy to the air, mostly as thermal energy created by turbulence. But a small

  2. What is hearing defined as?

    • The absorption of energy
    • The creation of sound
    • The perception of light
    • The perception of sound
    Reveal answer

    Answer: The perception of sound

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: Sound can be used as a familiar illustration of waves. Because hearing is one of our most important senses, it is interesting to see how the physical properties of sound correspond to our perceptions of it. Hearing is the perception of sound, just as vision is the perception of visible light. But sound has important applications beyond hearing. Ultrasound, for example, is not heard but can be employed to form medical images and is also used in treatment. The physical phenomenon of sound is defined to be a disturbance of matter that is transmitted from its source outward. Sound is a wave. On the atomic scale, it is a disturbance of atoms that is far more ordered than their thermal motions. In many instances, sound is a periodic wave, and the atoms undergo simple harmonic motion. In this text, we shall explore such periodic sound waves. A vibrating string produces a sound wave as illustrated in Figure 17.3, Figure 17.4, and Figure 17.5. As the string oscillates back and forth, it transfers energy to the air, mostly as thermal energy created by turbulence. But a small

  3. Sound waves in air and most fluids are:

    • Neither type of wave
    • Both transverse and longitudinal
    • Transverse
    • Longitudinal
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Longitudinal

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: lower local pressures. These compressions (high pressure regions) and rarefactions (low pressure regions) move out as longitudinal pressure waves having the same frequency as the string—they are the disturbance that is a sound wave. (Sound waves in air and most fluids are longitudinal, because fluids have almost no shear strength. In solids, sound waves can be both transverse and longitudinal.) Figure 17.5 shows a graph of gauge pressure versus distance from the vibrating string.

  4. Why are sound waves in fluids longitudinal?

    • Fluids have almost no shear strength
    • Fluids cannot vibrate
    • Fluids absorb all energy
    • Fluids have high density
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Fluids have almost no shear strength

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: lower local pressures. These compressions (high pressure regions) and rarefactions (low pressure regions) move out as longitudinal pressure waves having the same frequency as the string—they are the disturbance that is a sound wave. (Sound waves in air and most fluids are longitudinal, because fluids have almost no shear strength. In solids, sound waves can be both transverse and longitudinal.) Figure 17.5 shows a graph of gauge pressure versus distance from the vibrating string.

  5. Compressions in a sound wave are regions of:

    • Zero pressure
    • High pressure
    • Constant pressure
    • Low pressure
    Reveal answer

    Answer: High pressure

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: lower local pressures. These compressions (high pressure regions) and rarefactions (low pressure regions) move out as longitudinal pressure waves having the same frequency as the string—they are the disturbance that is a sound wave. (Sound waves in air and most fluids are longitudinal, because fluids have almost no shear strength. In solids, sound waves can be both transverse and longitudinal.) Figure 17.5 shows a graph of gauge pressure versus distance from the vibrating string.

  6. Rarefactions in a sound wave are regions of:

    • Maximum energy
    • High pressure
    • Neutral density
    • Low pressure
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Low pressure

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: lower local pressures. These compressions (high pressure regions) and rarefactions (low pressure regions) move out as longitudinal pressure waves having the same frequency as the string—they are the disturbance that is a sound wave. (Sound waves in air and most fluids are longitudinal, because fluids have almost no shear strength. In solids, sound waves can be both transverse and longitudinal.) Figure 17.5 shows a graph of gauge pressure versus distance from the vibrating string.

  7. According to the source, what is analogous to vision?

    • Hearing is to sound
    • Smell is to air
    • Touch is to heat
    • Speech is to sound
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Hearing is to sound

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: Sound can be used as a familiar illustration of waves. Because hearing is one of our most important senses, it is interesting to see how the physical properties of sound correspond to our perceptions of it. Hearing is the perception of sound, just as vision is the perception of visible light. But sound has important applications beyond hearing. Ultrasound, for example, is not heard but can be employed to form medical images and is also used in treatment. The physical phenomenon of sound is defined to be a disturbance of matter that is transmitted from its source outward. Sound is a wave. On the atomic scale, it is a disturbance of atoms that is far more ordered than their thermal motions. In many instances, sound is a periodic wave, and the atoms undergo simple harmonic motion. In this text, we shall explore such periodic sound waves. A vibrating string produces a sound wave as illustrated in Figure 17.3, Figure 17.4, and Figure 17.5. As the string oscillates back and forth, it transfers energy to the air, mostly as thermal energy created by turbulence. But a small

  8. The pressure waves that form a sound wave have what frequency?

    • Half the string's frequency
    • A random frequency
    • The same frequency as the string
    • Twice the string's frequency
    Reveal answer

    Answer: The same frequency as the string

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: lower local pressures. These compressions (high pressure regions) and rarefactions (low pressure regions) move out as longitudinal pressure waves having the same frequency as the string—they are the disturbance that is a sound wave. (Sound waves in air and most fluids are longitudinal, because fluids have almost no shear strength. In solids, sound waves can be both transverse and longitudinal.) Figure 17.5 shows a graph of gauge pressure versus distance from the vibrating string.

  9. Ultrasound, according to the source, is:

    • Only audible to animals
    • Not heard but used in imaging
    • Used only for hearing
    • A transverse wave in air
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Not heard but used in imaging

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: Sound can be used as a familiar illustration of waves. Because hearing is one of our most important senses, it is interesting to see how the physical properties of sound correspond to our perceptions of it. Hearing is the perception of sound, just as vision is the perception of visible light. But sound has important applications beyond hearing. Ultrasound, for example, is not heard but can be employed to form medical images and is also used in treatment. The physical phenomenon of sound is defined to be a disturbance of matter that is transmitted from its source outward. Sound is a wave. On the atomic scale, it is a disturbance of atoms that is far more ordered than their thermal motions. In many instances, sound is a periodic wave, and the atoms undergo simple harmonic motion. In this text, we shall explore such periodic sound waves. A vibrating string produces a sound wave as illustrated in Figure 17.3, Figure 17.4, and Figure 17.5. As the string oscillates back and forth, it transfers energy to the air, mostly as thermal energy created by turbulence. But a small

  10. On the atomic scale, sound is a disturbance of atoms that is:

    • Random like thermal motion
    • Completely motionless
    • Unrelated to atoms
    • Far more ordered than thermal motions
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Far more ordered than thermal motions

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: Sound can be used as a familiar illustration of waves. Because hearing is one of our most important senses, it is interesting to see how the physical properties of sound correspond to our perceptions of it. Hearing is the perception of sound, just as vision is the perception of visible light. But sound has important applications beyond hearing. Ultrasound, for example, is not heard but can be employed to form medical images and is also used in treatment. The physical phenomenon of sound is defined to be a disturbance of matter that is transmitted from its source outward. Sound is a wave. On the atomic scale, it is a disturbance of atoms that is far more ordered than their thermal motions. In many instances, sound is a periodic wave, and the atoms undergo simple harmonic motion. In this text, we shall explore such periodic sound waves. A vibrating string produces a sound wave as illustrated in Figure 17.3, Figure 17.4, and Figure 17.5. As the string oscillates back and forth, it transfers energy to the air, mostly as thermal energy created by turbulence. But a small

  11. In many instances the atoms in a sound wave undergo:

    • Random thermal motion
    • Circular motion
    • Simple harmonic motion
    • No motion at all
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Simple harmonic motion

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: Sound can be used as a familiar illustration of waves. Because hearing is one of our most important senses, it is interesting to see how the physical properties of sound correspond to our perceptions of it. Hearing is the perception of sound, just as vision is the perception of visible light. But sound has important applications beyond hearing. Ultrasound, for example, is not heard but can be employed to form medical images and is also used in treatment. The physical phenomenon of sound is defined to be a disturbance of matter that is transmitted from its source outward. Sound is a wave. On the atomic scale, it is a disturbance of atoms that is far more ordered than their thermal motions. In many instances, sound is a periodic wave, and the atoms undergo simple harmonic motion. In this text, we shall explore such periodic sound waves. A vibrating string produces a sound wave as illustrated in Figure 17.3, Figure 17.4, and Figure 17.5. As the string oscillates back and forth, it transfers energy to the air, mostly as thermal energy created by turbulence. But a small

  12. Why does the amplitude of a sound wave decrease with distance?

    • The frequency increases
    • The speed decreases
    • The wavelength shortens
    • Energy spreads over a larger area
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Energy spreads over a larger area

    Source evidence

    PDF page 793: graph shows gauge pressure versus distance from the source. Pressures vary only slightly from atmospheric for ordinary sounds. The amplitude of a sound wave decreases with distance from its source, because the energy of the wave is spread over a larger and larger area. But it is also absorbed by objects, such as the eardrum in Figure 17.6, and converted to thermal energy by the viscosity of air. In addition, during each compression a little heat transfers to the air and during each rarefaction even less heat transfers from the air, so that the heat transfer reduces the organized

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