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Sound Notes
The teacher's notes for this chapter will handed out as a packet at the beginning of this chapter. This page provides a brief chapter outline with online sources that satisfactorily support the topics we will discuss in class.
I. Types of Waves
(A) Electromagnetic Waves
1. Characteristics
2. Examples
(B) Mechanical Waves:
1. Characteristics and Types
2. Examples
II. Longitudinal (Sound) Waves
III. Wave Speed, Frequency, Period
IV. Superposition
V. Beats
VI. Resonance: Standing Waves and Harmonics:
Link 1 (http://id.mind.net/~zona/mstm/physics/waves/waves.html)
(A) Strings
(B) Closed Pipes
(C) Open Pipes
VII. Doppler Effect
Useful Links:
Glenbrook South High School, Illinois: "Waves and Energy Transport" and "Sound Waves and Music". Read those sections that support our discussion on the nature of waves and sound. Visit this site's "Multimedia Physics Studios". This page offers some really nice GIF animations with discussion. Click on "Waves, Sound and Light".
ThinkQuest: site "Waves on the Web" gives a decent illustration and supporting description of sound wave transmission.
ThinkQest: site, "Learn Physics Today" (Colegio F.D.Roosevelt, Peru): Chapter 8 - read sections 1 through 4; Chapter 9 - read sections 1 through 4. Both articles provide a simple introduction to concepts of interest.
The Physics Zone (sciencejoywagon.com): This page provides an excellent assortment of Java simulations on wave mechanics. Some lessons require a plug-in (Shockwave or QuickTime) in order to see or play the lesson: click on "lessons" button at the bottom of this page, then scroll to the bottom of the "Lessons" page for the appropriate downloading program. This whole site has some VERY interesting stuff.
University of Tennessee, Physics 135:
Module 10 - Waves. Click on lesson 1: Mechanical Waves.
Read the discussion on periodic wave. Solve the simple problems below the yellow wave.gif. Read the section titled transverse and longitudinal waves and click on the link having the same name. This link takes you to a nice animation. On this page, scroll down to "Java Applets Page" and click. I clicked on the "cancel" option and was transferred anyway to "Java Applets for High School Physics Education", written by Sadahisa Kamikawa, a teacher of physics in Japan. Click on "Longitudinal Wave" for a very nice animated applet. (Keep his other animations in mind)
In this module, define the terms amplitude, power, and energy, associated with waves.
Under the section titled, Interference, differentiate between constructive interference and destructive interference.
Under the section titled, Standing Waves, study the series of still illustrations. Continue with the illustrations showing the behavior of a reflected wave from a fixed end and from a loose end. In class, I will use a demonstration of standing waves in strings to reinforce the nature of standing waves in open and closed pipes. [The link labeled "Reflection of Transverse Wave from a Boundary" takes you to another Kamikawa java applet. In the control box, try the options "fixed end" and "free end" separately, while using "pulse crest" and "pulse trough". Then reset using the "continuous" option]. Continue scrolling down the section on standing waves to the discussion using the terms nodes, antinodes, harmonics (1st, 2nd, 3d), fundamental frequency. In this section, these terms are related to standing waves in strings, because a string is a concrete entity that visually presents these features. Standing waves of air in pipes will be emphasized in class, where the same terms apply.
Michigan State University (LectureOnline) - "Beats" provides an audio demonstration.
California State University Stanislaus - "Beat" provides an interactive graphical representation.