Properties of Sound Waves Pt 1

What are some
ways that you
could describe

sounds?

Sound Waves

Properties of Sound Waves
Intensity
Loudness
Frequency
Pitch

PHET Simulation: Wave on a String

Observe what

happens when you
move the wrench

up and down

slowly versus when
you move it up and
down quickly with

a lot of energy.

​ https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/wave-on-a-string/latest/wave-on-a-string_en.html

Sound Waves

Properties of Sound Waves
• Intensity – the amount of

energy the wave carries per
second through a unit of area

• Amplitude increases with

increased energy

• Measured in watts per

square meter (W/m2)

Sound Waves

Properties of Sound Waves
• Loudness – how strongly

audible something sounds to
you; how you perceive it

• It is often confused with

volume. Volume is how you
manipulate or change how
loud something is.

• The higher the amplitude, the

louder something will sound.

Sound Waves

Properties of Sound Waves
• Loudness or sound intensity

is measured in decibels
(dB).

• Decibels shows the amount

of air pressure displaced by
sound, which affects how it
hits your eardrum and its
perceived level of loudness.

• Maximum safe level is 85

dB