Lecture No.

6
Mechanical Waves Application
Sound Waves
Prepared by Dr. Inji Ibrahim Atteya
Job: Lecturer in Arab Academy for Science and Technology , Engineering College , Basic
and Applied Science Department.
PhD in Electrical Engineering , Aston University, Birmingham , United Kingdom
Email:eng_inji@aast.edu
During this lecture , the following titles should be covered
1. Hearing Process
2. What you already know about Sound Wave
3. Pressure Variation in Sound Wave
1. Sound Wave Mathematical Representation
2. Relation between maximum pressure and maximum displacement
4. Sound Wave Properties
1. Frequency & Audible Range
2. Sound Wave Speed
3. Sound Wave Intensity
4. Sound Level

Dr.Inji Ibrahim Atteya

 How can we
hear ?

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 Sound waves, which are really vibrations in the
air around us, are collected on each side of our
head and are focused into the ear canals.

 These sound waves make the eardrum vibrate.

 The eardrum is so sensitive to sound vibrations

in the ear canal that it can detect even the
lowest sound as well as replicating even the
most complex of sound vibration patterns.

 The eardrum vibrations caused by sound waves

move the chain of tiny bones ( malleus, incus
and stapes) in the middle ear transferring the
sound vibrations into the cochlea of the inner
Dr.Inji Ibrahim Atteya
Audible system
4

ear.
 Sound Waves transferred into the cochlea (inner
ear) are tuned to respond to different sounds
based on their frequency generating nerve
impulses which travel instantaneously along the
auditory nerve.

 These nerve impulses follow a complicated

pathway in the brainstem before arriving at the
hearing center of the brain, the auditory cortex.
This is where the streams of nerve impulses are
converted into meaningful sound.

 All of this happens within a tiny fraction

instantaneously -after sound waves first enter Audible system
5

our ear canals.

Dr.Inji Ibrahim Atteya
 2

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 Sound Wave is a longitudinal mechanical wave ,formed of
successive compression and rarefaction.

 Since it is a mechanical wave , then it needs a medium to

propagate ; this medium could be solid , liquid or gas.

 Note that sound do not propagate through vacuum and for this
reason you can not hear the voice while talking into space.

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 First , Assume you have a piston and an undisturbed gas
contained in a tube.

 A piston at the left end can be quickly moved to the right to

compress the gas and create the pulse.

 When the piston is pushed to the right (Fig. b), the gas just in
front of it is compressed (as represented by the more heavily
shaded region)

 When the piston comes to rest (Fig. c), the compressed region
of the gas continues to move to the right, corresponding to a
longitudinal pulse traveling through the tube with speed v.

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 The darker parts of the colored areas in this figure represent
regions in which the gas is compressed (compressions) and
this happens when the piston is pushed into the tube.

 The low-pressure regions, called rarefactions, also

propagate along the tube, following the compressions.

 As the piston oscillates sinusoidal, regions of compression

and rarefaction are continuously set up.

 The distance between two successive compressions (or two

successive rarefactions) equals the wavelength (λ) of the
sound wave.
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 Sound Wave Equation

The general equation for a 𝒚 = 𝑨 𝐬𝐢𝐧 (𝒌𝒙 − ω𝒕)

wave representing every To the
point x of the wave at right
every time t was given by
To the left
 The sound wave is
longitudinal, as 𝒚 = 𝑨 𝐬𝐢𝐧 (𝒌𝒙 + ω𝒕)
the compressions
and rarefactions
travel through Position of an element with respect to
the tube. equilibrium position
 Any small
element of the 𝒔(𝒙, 𝒕) = 𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒙 𝐬𝐢𝐧 (𝒌𝒙 − ω𝒕)
gas moves with
simple harmonic
motion parallel to
the direction of
the wave. 𝑷(𝒙, 𝒕) = 𝑷𝒎𝒂𝒙 𝐜𝐨𝐬 (𝒌𝒙 − ω𝒕)
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Pressure of an element with respect to equilibrium position

 Sound Wave Equation
Relation between Maximum Pressure and Maximum position for an element

𝑷𝒎𝒂𝒙 = ρωv 𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒙  Ρ=the density

 V= velocity (m/s)
 ω= angular frequency
Example 1
 𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒙 = maximum Displacement

Calculate the pressure amplitude of a

500 Hz if the displacement
Solution 1
amplitude=5*10-8 m giving that
• The density of the medium
𝜔 = 2 ∗ 𝞹 ∗ 𝑓 = (2)(3.14)(500)= 3140 rad/s
=0.179kg/m3
• The element is moving with a
𝑷𝒎𝒂𝒙 = ρωv 𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒙
speed=972 m/s
Dr.Inji Ibrahim Atteya 𝑷𝒎𝒂𝒙 = (𝟎. 𝟏𝟕𝟗 ∗ 𝟑𝟏𝟒𝟎 ∗ 𝟗𝟕𝟐
11 ∗ 𝟓 ∗ 𝟏𝟎−𝟖 )
Maximum change in pressure occurred to the = 0.0723 Pa
particle from its equilibrium position
 3

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 Sound
1. Frequency & Sound Range Range

Infra Sound

Less than 20 Hz Audible

Ultra Sound
Range

More than
20 < f < 20,000 Hz
20,000Hz
Frequency Range A male voice has a fundamental
1 Chicken 125 Hz-2 kHz frequency from 85 to 180 Hz
2 Elephant 17 Hz-10.5 kHz A female voice has a
3 Human 31 Hz-19 kHz fundamental frequency from
4 dog 64 Hz-44 kHz 165 to 255 Hz
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5 Mouse 900 Hz-79 kHz
 2. Sound Wave Speed --Medium Variation

𝑷
Elasticity of The Medium Density of the Medium ρ 𝒀=
𝜟𝑳
𝑳𝒊

Both
Yung Modulus Y Modulus are
Solid
Elasticity is the ability of the measured in
medium to change in shape in Pa
response to an applied force and
returns back to its initial shape Fluid Bulk Modulus B
once the force is removed.

𝑷
𝑩=−
This negative sign because 𝜟𝑽
𝑽𝒊
Dr.Inji Ibrahim Atteya the Pressure and the volume 14

is inversely proportional
 2. Sound Wave Speed- Calculation due to Medium Variation

Speed of Sound in Solid > in liquid > in gas

Solution
𝒀
Example 2
Solid 𝒗=
𝝆
If the density of Aluminum 𝒀
𝒗=
is 2.7*103 kg/m3 and the 𝝆
speed of sound in aluminum
is 5100 m/s. Calculate the Y= 𝝆𝒗𝟐
𝑩
𝒗= Young Modulus for Y=(2.7*103)*(5100)2
Fluid 𝝆
Aluminum.
=7.027*1010 Pa

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 2. Sound Wave Speed -- Temperature variation

Where
The speed of sound also depends
on the temperature of the medium. v is in meters/second,
For sound traveling through air,
331 m/s is the speed of sound in air at 0°C,
the relationship between wave
speed and air temperature is : TC is the air temperature in degrees Celsius.

𝑻𝑪
𝒗 = 𝟑𝟑𝟏 ∗ (𝟏 + )
𝟐𝟕𝟑 By using this equation, it was
found that the speed of
sound in air at 20 °C is
approximately 343 m/s.

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 2. Sound Wave Speed-Example 3

Example 3 The human ear can detect sound only in the frequency spectrum of
about 20.0 to 20,000 Hz.
Find the wavelengths corresponding to these frequencies at room
temperature at T= 20° C.

The corresponding wavelength for the 20 Hz

Solution
The corresponding wavelength for the 20 kHz

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 3. Sound Wave Intensity “I”
The intensity I of a sound wave is defined as the energy per unit time transported by this
wave per square meter of wave front, that is, the power transported by this wave per unit
area:
Power of the sound source
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 –Speaker measured in Watt

𝐼= 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎

𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟
𝐼=
The intensity of 𝟒𝝅𝒓𝟐
sound is measured 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟
𝑊 𝐼=
by 2 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑚
Dr.Inji Ibrahim Atteya Area of a sphere where18
the sound propagate
 3. Sound Wave Intensity “I” Each arc represents a surface
over which the phase of the
A Point Source emits sound wave equally in
all the directions in spherical waves. wave is constant. We call such
a surface of constant phase a
wave front.

Ray

The radial lines pointing

outward from the source,
representing the direction of
propagation of the waves, are
called rays.

The radial distance between adjacent

wave fronts that have the same phase is
Dr.Inji Ibrahim Atteya 19
the wavelength of the wave.
 3. Sound Wave Intensity “I”

Threshold of Pain is the =

1 W/m2

Threshold of Hearing is the

least sound intensity that
the human can hear =
10-12 W/m2

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 4. Sound Wave Level

Since the Intensity range lying from the threshold of hearing (10-12 W/m 2) to the threshold of
pain (1 W/m2) is very large including very small values , Then it was convenient to use the
logarithm scale through the sound level which is measured by the decibel (dB)

Sound level
symbol
“Beta” 𝐼
β = 10 ∗ (log )
𝐼0
Threshold of
Hearing=
10-12 W/m 2

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 4. Sound Wave Level
What you can do if the Intensity of sound is required and the
Sound level is given?
𝐼 β − 120
β = 10 ∗ log( ) = log(𝐼)
𝐼0 10
β
β =10*[log(I)-log(𝐼0 )] − 12 = log(𝐼)
10
−12
β = 10*[log(I)-log(10 )]
β =10*[log(I)+12log(10)]
β
(10−12)
β =10log(I)+120 log(10) 𝐼= 10
β =10log(I)+120 (by dividing by 10)
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 4. Sound Wave Level
(0-120 dB)

Threshold of Hearing is the

least sound intensity that
The main goal of using the the human can hear =
logarithm scale is to amplify
𝐼 zero dB
β = 10 ∗ log( )
the range of intensity 𝐼0
(10-12 W/m2 to 1 W/m2)

Threshold of Pain is the =

120 dB

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Example 4 4. Sound Wave Level

Solution

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 4. Sound Wave Level
Example 5 Solution

A sound source emits power equally

in all directions. The intensity level 30
m from the source is 70 dB .
What is the total sound power emitted
by the source?

You can use this β−12

( 10 )
Dr.Inji Ibrahim Atteya
rule to find the 𝐼= 10 25
Intensity
1. Sound Wave is a mechanical longitudinal wave that needs a medium to propagate.
2. A sound wave could be simulated by the simple harmonic motion of a piston pushing the air
molecules in a closed tube.
3. Sound wave equation could be simulated as a function of displacement or a function of pressure.
4. The infrasound , the audible range and the ultrasound are classified based on the frequency of
sound.
5. The speed of sound depends on the medium ( elasticity , density and the temperature)
6. The Intensity of sound wave is the energy per unit time transferred by a specific area.
7. Sound waves emitted from a point speaker propagates in spherical waves .
8. The Intensity of Sound range lie between the threshold of hearing and the threshold of pain.
9. The Sound level (β) range is between zero and 120 dB.

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