Sound

Syllabus tag: KCSE | Physics | Form 2 | Topic 19 Sound

Lesson objectives

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

• Describe the production and transmission of sound.
• Show that sound requires a material medium.
• Explain reflection of sound and use echoes to find speed and distance.
• Explain the factors affecting the speed of sound and the characteristics of a musical note.

Summary

Sound is a longitudinal mechanical wave produced by a vibrating body and requiring a material medium. It travels fastest in solids and cannot pass through a vacuum. Its speed in air is about 330–340 m/s, and echoes allow both the speed of sound and the depth of the sea to be measured.