UNIT 21 SOUND

21.1 PITCH
The pitch of a sound refers to the sharpness of a
sound.

Example :
• The sound made when a crow shrieks in alarm is
sharper than the sound made when a tiger roars.
• The sound made when a dog yelps is also sharper
and more piercing than the sound made when it
barks.
• Sounds which are sharp and piercing, like a
crow’s shriek and a dog’s yelp , are said to have a
high pitch.
• High-pitched sounds are produced when the
object making the sound vibrates very fast.

• Sound which are not sharp, like a tiger’s roar and

a dog’s bark, have a low pitch.
• Low-pitched sounds are produced when the
object making the sound vibrates slowly.
 CHANGING THE PITCH OF A SOUND
We can change the pitch of the sound made by an
object :
• If we make the object vibrate slower, the pitch of
the sound it makes will become lower.
• If we make the object vibrate faster, the pitch of
the sound it makes will become higher.

• There are different ways in which we can make

objects vibrate faster or slower.
 Pluck one of the strings
of the guitar and listen
to the sound made.

Increase the pitch Decrease the pitch

Increase the tightness of a Decrease the tightness of a

string by adjusting a tuning string by adjusting a tuning
peg. Pluck the string again. peg. Pluck the string again.

The string now vibrates The string now vibrates

faster and makes a sound slower and makes a sound
with a higher pitch. with a lower pitch.

To change the pitch of a sound made by a guitar

we increase or decrease the tightness of the strings.
 21.2 INTENSITY
The intensity of a sound is how loud the sound is.

A loud sound has a high intensity.

Example : loud drumming, the sound od thunder
and loud music from a speaker.

A soft sound has a low intensity.

Example : the sound of a person whispering, the
soft humming of machines and the soft chirping of
a bird.
• A sound with a high intensity is not the same
as a sound with a high pitch.
• A sound with a high pitch can have a low
intensity.
• Example : sounds made by a bird chirping
softly or a flute played gently have a high pitch
but low intensity.
• A sound with a low pitch can have a high
intensity.
• Example : the sound made by a bass drum has
a low pitch but can be of high intensity when
the drum is struck very hard.
 CHANGING THE INTENSITY
OF A SOUND
• We can change the intensity or loudness of a
sound made by an object if we change the
force of the action that makes the object
vibrate.
Striking with great force Striking with very little force

A loud, high-intensity A soft, low-intensity

sound is produced. sound is produced.
 21.3 LOUD SOUNDS
DANGERS OF LOUD SOUNDS

When we hear a loud sound, we tend to cover our

ears to block out the sound. This is our body’s natural
response to protect our ears.

When we hear loud sounds, it damages our hearing

and can even couse deafness of loss of hearing.

Even if the sound are not loud enough to cause pain in

our ears, prolonged exposure to loud sounds can lead
to permanent ear damage.
• The loudness or intensity of a sound is
measured in a unit called decibel or dB.

• A sound with an intensity of 100 dB is louder

than a sound with an intensity of 40 dB.
 NOISE POLLUTION
• Noise pollution refers to sounds that are loud,
unpleasant and disruptive to human and animal
life.
• These sounds can be made by animals, humans
or machinery.
• One of the most common sources of noise
pollution is transportation, especially from motor
vehicles.
• Noise pollution can cause deafness and loss of
sleep. It can also cause anger and stress.
 Loud Driller at
Subway rock 0.5 m Jet
train concert away engine

0 dB 60 dB 70 dB 85 dB 90 dB 95 dB 115 dB 125 dB 140 dB

Lowest Normal City Intensity Intensity Intensity

possible conver- traffic at which at which at which
intensity sation prolonged pain in the even
that can exposure ear begins short term
be heard may result exposure
by the in the loss can cause
human of hearing permanent
ear. ear damage
 PROTECTING OUR EARS
It is important to take care of our ears and make
sure we do not damage them.

Next are some simple and effective ways we can

follow :
Rest your ears in a quiet environment at night.
Keep the volume on music players, stereos and television sets low.
Wear protective ear plugs or earmuffs when working in places
where there is constant exposure to loud sounds.
Avoid going to noisy places like theathres, amusement
centres and games arcades for long periods of time.