A point source that is stationary on an x axis emits a sinusoidal sound wave at a frequency of 686 Hz and speed 343 m/s. The wave travels radially outward from the source, causing air molecules to oscillate radially inward and outward. Let us define a wavefront as a line that connects points where the air molecules have the maximum, radially outward displacement. At any given instant, the wavefronts are concentric circles that are centered on the source. (a) Along x, what is the adjacent wavefront separation? Next, the source moves along x at a speed of 110 m/s. Along x, what are the wavefront separations (b) in front of and (c) behind the source?
Properties of sound
A sound wave is a mechanical wave (or mechanical vibration) that transit through media such as gas (air), liquid (water), and solid (wood).
Quality Of Sound
A sound or a sound wave is defined as the energy produced due to the vibrations of particles in a medium. When any medium produces a disturbance or vibrations, it causes a movement in the air particles which produces sound waves. Molecules in the air vibrate about a certain average position and create compressions and rarefactions. This is called pitch which is defined as the frequency of sound. The frequency is defined as the number of oscillations in pressure per second.
Categories of Sound Wave
People perceive sound in different ways, like a medico student takes sound as vibration produced by objects reaching the human eardrum. A physicist perceives sound as vibration produced by an object, which produces disturbances in nearby air molecules that travel further. Both of them describe it as vibration generated by an object, the difference is one talks about how it is received and other deals with how it travels and propagates across various mediums.
A point source that is stationary on an x axis emits a
sinusoidal sound wave at a frequency of 686 Hz and speed 343 m/s.
The wave travels radially outward from the source, causing air molecules
to oscillate radially inward and outward. Let us define a
wavefront as a line that connects points where the air molecules
have the maximum, radially outward displacement. At any given
instant, the wavefronts are concentric circles that are centered on
the source. (a) Along x, what is the adjacent wavefront separation?
Next, the source moves along x at a speed of 110 m/s. Along x,
what are the wavefront separations (b) in front of and (c) behind
the source?
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