This document discusses sound waves and their properties. It defines sound waves as mechanical longitudinal waves that propagate through a medium such as air or water by compressing and decompressing particles. The document then explains that sound waves can be represented by a sine wave function involving variables like amplitude, wavelength, frequency, velocity, and phase. It provides equations for calculating these properties and gives examples of how to apply them.

1. SOUND WAVES
WHAT DOES THE GRAPH TELL US?
Michael Smythies
19. February 2015

2. What is a sound wave?
• Mechanical waves are made by vibrating
objects which disrupt surrounding particles
into vibrational motion transporting energy
through a medium such as water or air
• Longitudinal waves compress and extend in
the direction of net movement
• Series of rarefactions and compressions that
create high and low pressure zones

3. What does a sound wave look like?
Compression
(High pressure)
Rarefaction
(Low Pressure)

4. S(x,t)= smcos(kx-ωt+Φ)
Sm: Maximum displacement
K: Wave number, k=2π/λ
ω: Angular frequency, ω=2πf
Φ: Phase constant
V=fλ=ω/k
V: speed of sound wave
F: Frequency
λ: Wavelength
Equations:

5. Amplitude
Amplitude is the maximum distance the wave travels from the
equilibrium position or distance of wave compression.
Amplitude

6. Frequency: f= 1/T
ω=2πf=2π/T
Frequency is the rate in which the wave passes one point.
Frequency

7. Velocity: V=fλ=ω/k
The speed of sound at sea level and at 20° C is 344 m/s. To calculate the
velocity of a wave, you multiply the wavelength by the frequency.

8. Practice Questions:
Write the equation to this wave function
Answer:

9. Another one..
Answer:

10. Practice makes perfect..
Answer:

11. Works Cited
• http://s3.amazonaws.com/answer-board-image/6b095f74-0b86-41a0-
bdfe-6e7c8b261b79.jpeg
• http://dev.physicslab.org/img/171e5d67-e346-43a6-b57b-
d297393879c5.gif