Post hmasa lamah
sound chungchang kan sawi tawh a. We shall now take a look at some of the properties of the sound waves.
Frequency
Frequency of a sound wave is the number of vibrations done by the sound wave in one second. The frequency is represented by cycles per second (C/S) or by Hertz. If the number of vibrations of sound wave is 100 vibrations per seconds then it is said to be a sound wave with 100 C/S or 100 Hertz(Hz) frequency. Frequency of 1000 C/S is commonly called 1KC/S or 1 kilo hertz.
Lower frequency sound will have more bass and as the frequency increases the sound become shriller. A female voice contain more high frequency sound than a male voice, male voice has more low frequency sound.
Human ear can detect frequencies from 20Hz to 20,000Hz, this range of frequency is known as "Audible Frequency". The higher and lower end of audible sound is heard only by people having sensitive ear such as children; older people find it difficult to hear the lower and higher end of frequencies.
Sound wave with frequency higher than highest audible frequency (20,000Hz) is called "Ultrasonic Wave" and waves with lower than the lowest audible frequency (20Hz) is called "Infrasonic Wave".
Intensity
Intensity is the loudness of the sound. A louder sound will have more intensity compared to a weak sound.
The sound intensity ratio is represented by "Decibel". This unit decibel(dB) is the 10th part of another unit "Bell", which is based on the name of the father of telephone - Graham Bell.
The decibel is logarithmic system of showing power ratio and is used extensively. Power of ratio of 10:1 is equal to 10 decibels (dBs) and that of 100:1 is 20 decibels (dBs).
Echo
Echo is another property of the sound waves. As the light wave get reflected from a mirror, the sound wave also gets reflected when it hits some obstacle. After hitting the obstacle the sound wave returns and the angle with which sound wave strike the obstacle.
Depending on the distance of the obstacle, this property of sound makes us hear the same sound twice or more than twice. This sound which has come back after hitting some obstacle is called an echo.
To get a clear echo the area of reflective block should be very large, and the interval between the direct sound and the reflected sound should be 1/15th of a second or more. Also the length of sound should be small.