Characteristics of Sound Waves

Sound waves are longitudinal waves. Audible waves are sound waves with frequencies between 20 and 20 000 Hz. Infrasonic waves have frequencies below the audible range, and ultrasonic waves have frequencies above the audible range.

1. Blue whales are the loudest creatures; they can emit sound waves with an intensity of 3.0 103 W/m2. If this intensity is measured .0 m from its source! what "ower is associated with the sound wave#

2. $he whistlin% sound that is characteristic of the lan%ua%e &nown as 'sil(o!) which is used on the *anary Island of +omera! is detecta(le at ,.0 &m. -se the s"herical wave a""ro.imation to find the "ower of a whistler/s sound. 0ound intensity at the hearin% threshold is 1.0 1012 W/m2.

3. 1stimate how far away a cicada can (e heard if the lowest audi(le intensity of the sound it "roduces is 1.0 1012 W/m2 and the "ower of a cicada/s sound source is 2.0 102 W.

. 3owler mon&eys! found in *entral and 0outh 4merica! can emit a sound that can (e heard (y a human several miles away. $he "ower associated with the sound is rou%hly 3.0 10 W. If the threshold of hearin% of a human is assumed to (e 1.1 1013 W/m2! how far away can a howler mon&ey (e heard.

5. In 16,3! 7oy 8omas (ecame the world/s loudest whistler; the "ower of his whistle was 1.0 10 W. What was the sound/s intensity at 2.5 m#

2. 4 9.0 m al"horn was made in Idaho in 16,6. 4n al"horn (ehaves li&e a "i"e with one end closed. If the fre:uency of the fifteenth harmonic is 22.9 3;! how lon% is the al"horn# $he s"eed of sound in air is 33 m/s.

9. 4 fully functional acoustic %uitar over ,.0 m in len%th is on dis"lay in Bristol! 1n%land. 0u""ose the s"eed of waves on the %uitar/s strin%s is 5.00 102 m/s. If a third harmonic is %enerated on a strin%! so that the sound "roduced in air has a wavelen%th of 3. 9 m! what is the len%th of the strin%# $he s"eed of sound in air is 33 m/s.

,. $he unsu""orted fla%"ole (uilt for *anada/s 1."o ,2 has a hei%ht of ,2 m. If a standin% wave with a 16th harmonic is "roduced in an ,2 m o"en "i"e! what is its fre:uency# $he s"eed of sound in air is 33 m/s.

6. 4 "ower<"lant chimney in 0"ain is 3.50 102 m hi%h. If a standin% wave with a fre:uency of 35.5 3; is %enerated in an o"en "i"e with a len%th e:ual to the chimney/s hei%ht and the 95th harmonic is "resent! what is the s"eed of sound#

10. $he world/s lar%est or%an was com"leted in 1630 in 4tlantic *ity! =ew >ersey. Its shortest "i"e is .9 mm lon%. If one end of this "i"e is closed! what is the num(er of harmonics created (y an ultrasound with a wavelen%th of 3.92 mm#