Sound propagation and obstacles
Text
Information sheet:
What happens when sound hits an obstacle? The wave nature of sound is explained.
Type of media:
Text (92.6 kByte)
Last update:
2017-04-20
License:
This medium is made available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 international license.
What does this mean?
How to reference this medium
This medium is made available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 international license.
What does this mean?
How to reference this medium
Media package:
Description:
Sound waves propagate concentrically or spherically. A free or undisturbed sound field is one where there are no obstacles in the path of the sound waves. In everyday life, however, the sound field is usually disturbed or blocked by obstacles, for example, walls or people.
There are a number of ways a sound can behave when it hits an obstacle: refraction, reflection, dispersion, absorption, diffraction. All these possibilities arise ultimately because of the wave nature of sound.
Information and ideas:
This information sheet provides a good overview of the most important basic concepts of the wave nature of sound.
Relevant for teaching:
Sound/acoustics: parameters
Vibrations and waves
There are a number of ways a sound can behave when it hits an obstacle: refraction, reflection, dispersion, absorption, diffraction. All these possibilities arise ultimately because of the wave nature of sound.
Information and ideas:
This information sheet provides a good overview of the most important basic concepts of the wave nature of sound.
Relevant for teaching:
Sound/acoustics: parameters
Vibrations and waves
Related media:
There are no other media directly related to this file.
Learning resource type:
Information sheet
Subjects:
Physics
Grade levels:
Grade 5 to 6; Grade 7 to 9; Grade 10 to 13
School types:
Middle/high school; Vocational training
Keywords:
Optics; Sound; Wave (physics); Diffraction; Sound (basic phenomenon); Sound propagation; Sound wave
Bibliography:
Siemens Stiftung Media Portal
Author:
MediaHouse GmbH
Rights holder:
© Siemens Stiftung 2016