Sounds can be found everywhere in our day-to-day life from the quiet hum of our home electrical system to a roaring waterfall. But have you considered the origin of this sound? In this case, the answer would be sound waves. This phenomenon has many different practical applications including physics, engineering, and music. Therefore, sound waves play an important role in our life because they make possible different innovations and discoveries. Understanding sound waves makes us closer to the mysteries of acoustic phenomena and audio engineering.
Basics of Sound Waves
The sound is a wave propagating through some kind of medium like water, air, and solid objects. When an object is vibrating, it sends out compressions and rarefactions. Those compressions are detected as vibrations and sound is heard. Frequency of oscillations defines sound pitch while sound amplitude defines sound volume. Thus, oscillations caused by sound waves depend on sound volume and pitch. Moreover, there are specific speed parameters for those waves. The speed of sound in water differs significantly from speed in air.
This knowledge may help us understand the process of sound better because acoustic phenomena like echo and reverberation depend on sound waves. Echo is a result of reflection of sound waves from some surface. It is important to notice that echo will not appear at all because the sound waves will dissipate. On the contrary, reverberation appears because sound waves are scattered within certain environment and they don’t dissipate.
Types of Sound Waves
There are two types of sound waves namely longitudinal and transverse ones. Longitudinal waves, also called compression waves, represent typical type of wave. They are characterized by oscillations parallel to the direction of wave propagation. They create compressions and rarefactions of air particles.
However, transverse sound waves are very different. They oscillate perpendicularly to the wave direction of propagation. Shear waves are examples of transverse waves. Shear waves propagate only in solid objects like metal bars and pipes. The comprehension of the different sound types opens opportunities to discover more wave features.
Measurement of Sound Waves
It is vital to understand sound waves parameters including frequency, amplitude, and speed. Frequency of sound waves is usually counted in Hertz units (Hz). Amplitude is measured in decibels (dB). It shows the power of the wave. Speed of sound waves greatly depends on a medium. So, speed of sound in air at room temperature equals approximately 343 m/s.
Thus, the ability to measure the sound waves gives an opportunity to analyze them. Sound waves have many uses in different sciences like acoustics. Acoustics is the science of measuring properties of environments using the sound waves.
Applications of Sound Waves
Sound waves have numerous applications not only in music but also in different branches of science and engineering. Music industry utilizes sound waves in order to get necessary sounds and timbre. Besides, audio engineering uses those waves to create optimal acoustic parameters in studios and concert halls.
Sound waves have wide applications in medicine and dentistry. Ultrasound technology makes use of high frequency sound waves to get pictures of inner organs in the organism. Lithotripsy utilizes shock waves to break the kidney stones.
Future of Sound Waves
The development of nanotechnology and materials science promises to bring new advances in the area of sound waves and related technologies. For example, nowadays people are capable of controlling the sound propagation in special materials. It means that sound-based technologies and innovations will evolve rapidly in the near future.
Moreover, studies in the area of sound waves have already provided information about the fundamental laws of wave behavior and energy dissipation.
