Sound Waves
Sound is transmitted as waves. Sound waves are produced by vibrating objects, which cause the
surrounding air particles to vibrate. The vibrations of sound waves travel in the same direction as
the energy transfer. The diagram below shows a sound wave.
tuning fork
area of
compression
1. What is the name of this type of wave?
seismic wave
transverse wave
longitudinal wave
tidal wave
2. Describe what is happening at the part of the wave labelled ‘area of compression’.
3. For each of the statements below, tick either true or false.
a. Sound can travel in a vacuum (without particles).
true
false
true
false
c. Sound cannot be absorbed.
true
false
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Sound Waves
Sound waves travel slower than light waves. The type of material that the wave is passing through
material, and slower through less dense material.
4.
air
wood
water
slowest
fastest
5. Draw one line from each feature of the sound wave to the correct description.
The distance between two corresponding points
on repeating cycles of a wave.
amplitude
A measure of how much the wave is displaced
the sound.
The number of whole waves passing a given
point every second. It is measured in hertz (Hz)
wavelength
6. The diagram below shows a sound wave.
X
Y
Z
trough
one answer.
a. Which part of the graph shows the amplitude?
X
Y
Z
b. Which part of the graph shows the crest of the wave?
X
Y
Z
c. Which part of the graph shows the wavelength?
X
Y
Z
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