General Science
Sound
Audible vibration that travels via pressure waves in matter
Overview
Sound is a phenomenon in which pressure disturbances propagate through an elastic material medium. In the context of physics, it is characterised as a mechanical wave of pressure or related quantities, whereas in physiological-psychological contexts it implies a hearing process. Though sensitivity to sound varies among all organisms, the human ear is sensitive to audio frequencies ranging from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. More broadly, acoustic waves encompass mechanical longitudinal waves in general. Examples of the significance and application of sound include music, medical imaging techniques, oral language and parts of science.
Source: Wikipedia — Sound (CC BY-SA)
Key concepts
How Sound connects to the ideas, people and events around it.
A phenomenon, sometimes spelled phaenomenon, is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which cannot be directly observed.
Pressure is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the ambient pressure.
In continuum mechanics and materials science, elasticity is the ability of a body to resist a distorting influence and to return to its original size and shape when that influence or force is removed.
In physical science, matter is anything that has mass and occupies space by having volume. All everyday objects that can be touched are ultimately composed of atoms, which are made up of interacting subatomic particles.
A transmission medium is a system or substance that can mediate the propagation of signals for the purposes of telecommunication. Signals are typically imposed on a wave of some kind suitable for the chosen medium.
Physics is the scientific study of matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. It is one of the most fundamental scientific disciplines.
In classical mechanics, a mechanical wave is a wave that is an oscillation of matter, and therefore transfers energy through an elastic material medium. Vacuum is, from classical perspective, a non-material medium, where electromagnetic waves propagate.
Particle displacement or displacement amplitude is a measurement of distance of the movement of a sound particle from its equilibrium position in a medium as it transmits a sound wave. The SI unit of particle displacement is the metre (m).
Revise Sound
Flashcards and a quick quiz, built from this map.
Questions about Sound
What is Sound?
Sound is a phenomenon in which pressure disturbances propagate through an elastic material medium. In the context of physics, it is characterised as a mechanical wave of pressure or related quantities, whereas in physiological-psychological contexts it implies a hearing process. Though sensitivity to sound varies among all organisms, the human ear is sensitive to audio frequencies ranging from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What are the key concepts related to Sound?
The main concepts connected to Sound include Phenomenon, Pressure, Elasticity (physics), Matter, Transmission medium, Physics, Mechanical wave, Particle displacement. Each is linked on the map above with its own summary.
Which exams cover Sound?
Sound is part of General Science, which appears in the syllabus of UPSC CAPF, NDA, CDS, AFCAT, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL and 18 more exams.