Sound Waves - 3/4/18

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Summary: There are multiple types of sound waves, but the most popular are transverse waves and longitudinal waves. In regard to transverse waves, the displacement of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of propagation (the transmission of motion, light, sound, etc.) of the wave. A ripple on a pond and a wave on a string are easily visualized transverse waves. With longitudinal waves, the displacement of the medium is parallel to the propagation of the wave. A wave in a "slinky" is a good visualization. Another example is sound waves through air. A sound wave, like any other wave, is introduced into a medium by a vibrating object. The vibrating object is the source of the disturbance that moves through the medium. Regardless of what vibrating object is creating the sound wave, the particles of the medium through which the sound moves is vibrating in a back and forth motion at a given frequency. The frequency of a wave refers to how often the particles of the medium vibrate when a wave passes through the medium. The way we hear things is very interesting. The reason we hear sound is because the sound waves create vibrations. Those vibrations and waves transfer energy through the eardrum, which vibrates. When it vibrates, the hair cells vibrate which causes you to hear. 

SP2 - Using Models: This week I used models to visualize sound, which helped me understand the concepts of sound better. We did multiple labs during the week, one of them having to do with glass bottles, water and pencils. My group and I took turns blowing over the top of the different bottles, and striking it with the pencil. This helped us see how the amount of water in the bottle affected the pitch. Other models/visuals helped me understand sound as well. By looking at graphs and listing to video's, I learned more about sound.

XCC - Structure and Function: The ear consists of three basic parts - the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. Each part of the ear serves a specific purpose in the task of detecting and interpreting sound. The outer ear serves to collect and channel sound to the middle ear. The middle ear serves to transform the energy of a sound wave into the internal vibrations of the bone structure of the middle ear and ultimately transform these vibrations into a longitudinal wave in the inner ear. The inner ear serves to transform the energy of a longitudinal wave within the inner ear fluid into nerve impulses that can be transmitted to the brain. In conclusion, the structure of the ear supports its function, as long as you do not damage your ears with loud sounds.

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