Sound Intensity and Resonance

Sound Intensity
Intensity: the rate at which energy flows through a unit area perpendicular to the direction of wave motion (in other words, through the unit area of plane wave) Intensity = (E/t)/area = P/area Units: W/m2 given a spherical wave, Power is distributed over a spherical surface intensity = (power)/ (4) (distance from source)2

Intensity Contd
As the distance from the source increases, what happens to the intensity?

What is the intensity of the sound waves produced by a trumpet at a distance of 3.2m when the power output of a trumpet is 0.20W? Assume that the sound waves are spherical.

This occurs because the same amount of energy is spread over a larger area Which will have a larger effect: doubling the distance from the source, or doubling the power? Why? If both are doubled, what happens? As power increases, what happens to the intensity?

What determines which sounds are audible?

Frequency and intensity are both taken into account Sounds at very low or very high f must be relatively intense to be heard Sounds in the middle of the spectrum can be heard at lower intensities The human ear is an extremely sensitive detector What is the f and intensity for threshold of hearing? What is the intensity for the threshold of pain?
Exposure to sounds above the threshold of pain can cause immediate damage Prolonged exposure to lower intensities can damage the ear

Audibility

Decibels (dB)
Used to measure relative intensity Intensity determines perceived loudness, which is approximately logarithmic to the ear Relative intensity: ratio of intensity of a given sound wave to the intensity at threshold of hearing Measure of loudness: decibel level

 When intensity is multiplied by 10, 10 decibels are added to the decibel level Although more intensity is added between a level of 110 and 120 dB than 10 and 20 dB, (0.9 vs. 9 x 10-11 W/m2), the perceived loudness increases by the same amount
Fixed difference in perceived loudness in change of decibels

Forced Vibrations
Forced vibration: if one pendulum is set in motion, its vibrations are transferred by the rubber band to the others, which also start vibrating Sympathetic vibration: vibrating strings of a guitar force the bridge of the guitar to vibrate, which causes the body to vibrate
Large area of guitar body in comparison to strings allow strings vibrations to be transferred more easily, increasing intensity

Resonance
Every pendulum vibrates at a certain frequency, based on its string length -> natural frequency Which pendulums have the same natural frequency? This causes resonance: occurs when the f of the force applied to a system matches the natural f of vibration of the system, resulting in a large amplitude of vibration Because energy is transferred, the first blue pendulums amplitude of vibration will decrease as the seconds amplitude increases

Tacoma Narrows Bridge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meLrQnuDc6o High winds set up standing waves in the bridge, causing it to oscillate at one of its natural f Amplitude of vibration increased until it collapsed Other examples: Loma Prieta earthquake destroys roadways, Broken crystal

 Outer, inner, middle ear: sound waves travel down the ear canal of the outer ear to the eardrum This causes the eardrum to vibrate, and transfer vibrations to the bones in middle ear: hammer, anvil, stirrup Vibrations transferred to inner ear to the cochlea, which contains the basilar membrane Membrane has different natural f according to points of its length
Sound waves resonate at different spots according to f Creates impulses to hair/nerve cells in membrane: sent to brain to interpret as sounds of varying f

The Ear

Think, Pair, Share

A tuning fork consists of two metal prongs that vibrate at a single frequency when struck lightly. What will happen if a vibrating tuning fork is placed near another tuning fork of the same frequency? Explain. Which of the following factors change when a sound gets louder? When change in pitch gets higher?
Intensity, speed of the sound waves, frequency, decibel level, wavelength, amplitude

Think, Pair, Share (Contd)

When the decibel level of traffic in the street goes from 40 to 60 dB, how much greater is the intensity of the noise? If two flutes play their instruments together at the same intensity, is the sound twice as loud as that of either flutist playing alone at that intensity? Why or why not? A certain microphone placed in the ocean is sensitive to sounds emitted by dolphins. To produce a usable signal, sound waves striking the microphone must have a decibel level of 10 dB. If dolphins emit sound waves with a power of 0.050W, how far can a dolphin be from the microphone and still be heard?