Sound Waves

Longitudinal wave

Longitudinal waves are waves which oscillate in the direction which is parallel to the direction in which the wave travels and displacement of the medium is in the same direction of the wave propagation. Mechanical longitudinal waves are also called compressional or compression waves, because they produce compression and rarefaction when travelling through a medium, and pressure waves, because they produce increases and decreases in pressure. A wave along the length of a stretched Slinky toy, where the distance between coils increases and decreases, is a good visualization. Real-world examples include sound waves and seismic P waves.

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. 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.

Wave

In mathematics and physical science, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance of one or more quantities. Periodic waves oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium (resting) value at some frequency. When the entire waveform moves in one direction, it is said to be a traveling wave; by contrast, a pair of identical superimposed periodic waves traveling in opposite directions makes a standing wave. In a standing wave, the amplitude of vibration has nulls at some positions where the wave amplitude appears smaller or even zero.

sound waves

Noun

1. plural of sound wave