A mode of collective behavior within fluids and solids is the ordered patterns of sound waves that result from the compressibility of materials. We know that sound is tremendously important to human communication and has a wide range of technological applications. How are sound waves produced, detected, and measured? What are the scales of position, velocity, pressure, and density variations and how are they related to one another? What determines the velocity of sound waves? What are important effects that occur at different frequencies and wavelengths? What are interesting and useful manifestations of wave-like properties such as a superposition, interference, and diffraction? What happens to sound waves at the interface between different materials? How do we describe, measure, and use sound scattering from objects? (Bats seem to have evolved with a good ability to do this!) What are the special aspects of sound that apply to human sense of hearing and to the aesthetics of musical instruments? Can sound be used to change or control the behavior of materials? What happens when we make sound waves very intense?
Image attribution: Georg Wiora (Dr. Schorsch), CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons
Characterizing the response of ultrasound transducers used for distance sensing
Ultrasound resonance spectroscopy
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Note: Research experiences for undergraduates (REUs) might provide opportunities to work with a major equipment installation.
Acoustics
Anechoic chambers
Audio amplifiers
Audio filters
Audio level meters
Audio signal generators & synthesizers
Audio spectrum analyzers
Loudspeakers
Microphones
Preamplifiers
Oscilloscopes
Sirens
Ultrasound generators
Ultrasound imaging systems
Ultrasound transducers
Ultrasound transducer arrays
.S01 Acoustic interference and beam forming
.S02 Helmholtz resonator
.S03 Sound absorption and attenuation
.S03 Sound propagation in moving fluids
.S04 Acoustic levitation
.S06 Ultrasonic wave generation and detection
.S07 Ultrasound scattering from boundaries, particles, and defects
Detection and measurement of sound
Sources of sound
Speed of sound
Sound beats and modulation
Sound interference and beam forming
Reflection, absorption and transmission of sound
Diffraction and scattering of sound
Doppler effect and its uses
Sound absorption and seattenuation
Sound in moving fluids
Sound generation by fluid motion
Acoustic resonators
Musical instruments
Architectural acoustics
Nonlinear acoustics
Acoustic levitation and manipulation
Ultrasonic transducers
Ultrasonic transmission and reflection in materials
Ultrasonic absorption
Ultrasonic scattering
Ultrasonic distance sensing and tracking
Diffraction of light by ultrasonic waves
Ultrasound induced cavitation
Sonoluminescence
Ultrasound imaging
Ultrasound resonance spectroscopy
Ultrasound microscopy
Professional societies
Open problems
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PIRA bibliography
Physicslabrefs bibliography
Books
Edmonds, P. D. (1981), Ultrasonics, Methods of Experimental Physics, v. 19 (Academic Press).
ALPhA immersions
Quantum Analogs (acoustic resonance)
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Labs at other universities and colleges
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