QUESTIONS ANSWERS

Physics of sound, study of sound Acoustics

Wave motion consisting of series of refraction & condensation produced in Sound

air or other medium by vibrating body.It is an alternation of stress, pressure,
particle velocity & particle displacement that is transmitted through air or
other medium by a vibrating object.

Requirements to produce sound 1. Transmitting medium

should be elastic
2. Presence of vibrating
body
3. Receiver/end user of
energy

Objectively: a purely phenomena consisting of wave motion in air or any Interpretation of sound
transmitting medium. . Subjectively: the sensation produced by outside
stimulation on the ear.

Characteristics of sound according to form & frequency of vibration 1. Noise

2. Music

Irregular in vibration, no definite range of frequency Noise

Regular in vibration; consists of fundamental frequencies & harmonics Music

whose combination is pleasant to the ear.

Characteristics of sound wave. 1.Frequency (Audio: 20 Hz

20 kHz)
2. Period
3. Velocity of Propagation.

Sound produced by an object w/c is vibrating at a frequency higher than a Ultrasonic waves
human ear can hear barely penetrating due to short wavelength.

Application of Ultrasonic waves. 1. Medical

diagnosis/bloodless surgery
2. Removal of tumors

Compressional waves whose frequency is less than that to w/c the ear is Infrasonic waves
sensitive.

Object traveling faster than the speed of sound. Supersonic

Measure of sound pressure to a certain reference (units in bars = dyne/cm2) Pressure Level (SPL)

Average rate of transmission of sound energy in a given direction through a Sound Intensity (I)
cross-sectional area.

Specific reference level for sound intensity measurement. 1. Reference Acoustic

Power (RAP)
2. Reference Sound
Pressure Level (SPL)

Minimum sound power density that is barely audible to human ear. Reference Acoustic Power
(RAP)

Audible sound is w/in the frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Frequency limits

Occurs at 120dB. Threshold of Pain.

Physical properties of sound. 1. Volume

2. Pitch
3. Loudness
4. Loudness level
5. Timbre
6. Intensity
7. Sibilance

0 dB hearing threshold; 120 dB pain threshold Volume

Highness/lowness sound frequency. Measure in terms of MEL Pitch

Strength of auditory sensation (refers to listeners subjective perception of a Loudness

sound sensation) Measure in terms of SONE.

Objective interpretation of loudness. The loudness level of puretone is equal Loudness level
to the intensity of a 1 kHz tone that sounds equally loud. Expressed in terms
pf PHONS.

Make sound distinguishable from the others. Timbre

Average rate of transmission of energy through a cross sectional area of 1 Intensity

m2 at right angles to the direction of propagation. It is expressed in terms of
changes in pressure.

Overstressing or overacting of sh & s sounds: determines the brightness Sibilance

of the music.

Interval between two frequencies Octave

Basic musical pitch of a musical note. Fundamental

Multiples of the fundamental of lowest frequency. Harmonics

Two tones sounded in succession or together. Interval

Frequencies w/ ratios 3:4:5. Major triad

Sound bounces back when it hits a rigid body: may result to echo & Reflection
reverbaration.

Energy is decreased as absorbed; sound energy is converted to heat. The Absorption

front of the wave slows down as it enters the wall & an angle of refraction
occurs.

Sound proceeds to its directed path. Onward Transmission

The fraction of the total received sound energy absorbed by the surface. Absorption coefficient ()

Acoustical Phenomena 1. Echo

2. Reverberation
3. Flutter
4. Interference

Reflection or repetition of sound. Is apparent to an observer if the time Echo

interval between direct & indirect waves or greater than 1/17 sec.
Uneven decay of sound, normally because of inter-reflection between Reverberation
opposing parallel or concave sources. Flutter

Uneven or enequal distribution of sound energy due to the cancellation & Interference
addition of sound energy.

Time required for the mean square sound pressure of a given frequency in Reverberation Time (RT60)
an enclosure, initially in steady state, to decrease after the source is stopped,
to one millionth of its initial value (i.e the time for 60 dB decay)

The fraction of the total received sound energy absorbed by the surface. Absorption Coefficient ()
Unit of absorption. Sabine

Average absorption of a person. +.7 sabine

The science of sound Acoustics

An observer s auiditory impression of the strength of a sound. Loudness

Measured by the sound pressure level of a standard pure tone of specified Loudness level
frequency w/c is assessed by normal observers as being equally loud.

Unit of pitch. The pitch of any sound judged by listeners to be n times that Mel
of a mel .

A pitch interval of 2:1. The tone whose frequency is twice that of the given Octave
tone.

The unit of loudness when: Phon

a. The standard pure tone is produced by a sensibly plane sinusoidal
progressive sound wave coming from directly in front of the
observer & having a frequency of 1000 Hz.
b. The sound pressure level in the free progressive wave is expressed
in dB above 2 x 105 N/m2.

The attribute of auditory sensation in terms of w/c sound may be ordered on Pitch
a scale related primarily to frequency.

A sound in w/c the sound pressure varies sinusoidally w/ time. The Pure Tone
waveform may be represented by a sine wave.

The persistence of sound in an enclosure due to repeated reflections at the Reverberation

boundaries.

The time required for the mean square sound pressure of a given frequency Reverberation Time
in an enclosure, initially in a steady state, to decrease after the source is
stopped, to one millionth of its initial value (i.e the time for 60 dB decay)

The unit of loudness on a scale designed to give scale numbers Sone

approximately proportional to the loudness.

In a specified direction, the sound energy flux through unit area, normal to Sound Intensity (I)
that direction.

The total sound energy radiated per unit time. Sound Power

-Is equal to 140 times the logarithm to the base 10 of the ratio of the sound Sound Power Level (SPL)
power of the source to the reference sound power (10-12 W)
-At a point in a sound field; the alternating component of the pressure at the
point. Unit: N/m2.