Sound Wave



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 The properties of sound waves are as follows:

1. Sound waves are the mechanical waves which always require a material medium for its propagation. These waves can transmit through gases, plasma and liquids.

2. The sound wave is characterized by frequency/pitch, wavelength, period, amplitude, intensity, speed and direction.

3. The speed of sound wave depends upon the medium through which it propagates and is different for different medium.

4. Sound waves are longitudinal waves and move through a medium by forming compression and rare-fraction.

5. Sound waves travel without dispersion with a phase velocity equal to 333 m/s in air medium.

6. Sound waves obey the principle of superposition.

A single frequency sound wave traveling through air will cause a sinusoidal pressure variation in the air. The air motion which accompanies the passage of the sound wave will be back and forth in the direction of propagation of the sound, a characteristic of longitudinal waves.

Since the sound waves are almost similar to that of longitudinal waves, the displacement of the medium is parallel to the propagation of the wave. Sound waves in air are longitudinal waves.