The basis for understanding sound is through learning about the physics of waves. Sound is a wave that is created by vibrating objects and propagated through a medium from one location to another.

 

Wave is a disturbance that travels through a medium, transporting energy from one medium to another.

 

Medium is a material through which the wave is traveling.

 

The particles of the medium continuously displace (or vibrate) the adjacent particles in a consecutive fashion, making the wave appear to travel through the medium.

 

PROPERTIES OF A SOUND WAVE:

1. It travels through a medium

2. There is an original source of wave, i.e., a vibrating object

3. It cannot travel in a vacuum

 

Frequency is measured as the number of back-and-forth (one complete) vibration of a particle per unit time. A commonly used unit in frequency is Hertz (Hz), which is 1 vibration per second. Differing frequencies result to production of different pitches.