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Sound Travels to the Ear
Sound Travels to the Ear
Sounds are made when objects vibrate. The vibration makes the air around vibrate, and the air vibrations enter your ear. Our brain hears the vibrations and turns this into a sound.
Sounds are made when objects vibrate. The vibration makes the air around vibrate, and the air vibrations enter your ear. Our brain hears the vibrations and turns this into a sound.
How Sound is Made
How Sound is Made
- Like light, sound travels through the air in waves.
- Sound is made by air molecules vibrating.
- When you clap your hands, the air around your hands shakes. This is the air molecules vibrating.
Vibrations - Sounds are made when something vibrates. By placing rice on a drum, you can see the vibrations when you hit the drum, as well as hearing the sound.
Vibrations - Sounds are made when something vibrates. By placing rice on a drum, you can see the vibrations when you hit the drum, as well as hearing the sound.
In the gif, you can see what happens when we slow down a drumstick hitting a cymbal. Notice how the metal vibrates; this is how we hear the sound!
In the gif, you can see what happens when we slow down a drumstick hitting a cymbal. Notice how the metal vibrates; this is how we hear the sound!
When air molecules inside the ear vibrate, they shake tiny hairs on the insides of the ears. The hairs are connected to nerves under the skin.
When air molecules inside the ear vibrate, they shake tiny hairs on the insides of the ears. The hairs are connected to nerves under the skin.
When air molecules inside the ear vibrate, they shake tiny hairs on the insides of the ears. The hairs are connected to nerves under the skin.
When air molecules inside the ear vibrate, they shake tiny hairs on the insides of the ears. The hairs are connected to nerves under the skin.
These nerves send messages to your brain to tell you that you heard a noise. Sound travels much slower than light, whether in air or in water. You often hear things after you see them, for example you see the lightning before you hear the thunder. Watch the video below to learn more about the difference between light and sound.
These nerves send messages to your brain to tell you that you heard a noise. Sound travels much slower than light, whether in air or in water. You often hear things after you see them, for example you see the lightning before you hear the thunder. Watch the video below to learn more about the difference between light and sound.
Loud and Quiet Sounds
Loud and Quiet Sounds
The louder the sound, the bigger the vibration.
The louder the sound, the bigger the vibration.
The size of the vibration is called the amplitude. Quieter sounds have a smaller amplitude, and louder sounds have a bigger amplitude.
The size of the vibration is called the amplitude. Quieter sounds have a smaller amplitude, and louder sounds have a bigger amplitude.
How Does Sound Travel ?
How Does Sound Travel ?
Sound can travel through solids, liquids and gases. Sound travels as a wave, vibrating the particles in the medium it is travelling in. So in our example, when you hit the drum, the drum skin vibrated. This made the air particles closest to the drum start to vibrate as well. The vibrations then passed to the next air particle, then the next, then the next. This carried on until the air particles closest to your ear vibrated, passing the vibrations into your ear.
Sound can travel through solids, liquids and gases. Sound travels as a wave, vibrating the particles in the medium it is travelling in. So in our example, when you hit the drum, the drum skin vibrated. This made the air particles closest to the drum start to vibrate as well. The vibrations then passed to the next air particle, then the next, then the next. This carried on until the air particles closest to your ear vibrated, passing the vibrations into your ear.
Absorbing Sounds
Absorbing Sounds
If you lived near a noisy building site, or a busy road, you would not want to hear the sounds of the machines or music! You would need to find a way to absorb the sounds so your house remained quiet and peaceful. This is called soundproofing.
If you lived near a noisy building site, or a busy road, you would not want to hear the sounds of the machines or music! You would need to find a way to absorb the sounds so your house remained quiet and peaceful. This is called soundproofing.
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