Waves and Sound Questions

Questions are to be answered individually and typed in complete sentences. Majority (not all) of the questions can be fully answered in one or two solid sentences, although each topic contains multiple questions. Feel free to use any resources at your disposal, including your textbook and the Internet. ANSWERS MUST BE STATED IN YOUR OWN WORDS. No points will be given to answers that are copied and pasted from any source, including the internet and your peers. All URL’s or webpages that you use MUST be listed at the end of each answer. Answers from each student should not be identical to other students’ answers.

You must choose 7 of the following topics to answer. Each topic is worth 5 points. (35 pts + 5 pts for list of URL’s at the end = 40 pts total).

  1. Radio – What do AM and FM stand for? What range of frequencies comprise both AM and FM radio? Why do FM stations usually sound better and travel farther than AM stations? Why can’t 2 radio stations be close to each other in both frequency and geographic area?
  1. Microwaves – What is the typical range of frequencies of microwaves? How do microwaves heat food? Why shouldn’t metal objects be placed inside microwave ovens?
  1. Hearing – What range of frequencies can most humans detect? What range of frequencies does speech occur? Around what frequencies is the ear most and least sensitive? What are the values, in Wm-2, for the threshold of hearing (sound) and the threshold of pain? What scale is most commonly used in everyday life to measure sound intensity? On this scale, what is the threshold of hearing (sound) and the threshold of pain?
  1. Doppler Effect – What is the Doppler Effect? What does a color shift mean to astronomers (i.e., a red shift or blue shift)? What does the fact that most galaxies are seen with a red shift mean to astronomers? How is the Doppler Effect or Doppler Radar used in weather prediction?
  1. Radar– What does the acronym “radar” stand for? Name at least 3 everyday examples of radar technology. How does radar technology work? What types of waves does it utilize?
  1. Sonar – What does the acronym “sonar” stand for? Name at least 3 everyday examples of sonar technology. How does sonar technology work? What types of waves does it utilize?
  1. Sound barrier – What is the sound barrier? What is a sonic boom? How is it created? What does a “Mach number” mean, like Mach 2 or Mach 3?
  1. Noise pollution – What is noise pollution? What are the causes of noise pollution? Why is it harmful or hazardous? Name at least 3 methods currently being used to reduce it.
  1. Echolocation – What is echolocation? How does echolocation work? What is it used for? What animals use it?
  1. Resonance – What is resonance? What is done structurally to protect buildings from resonance against earthquakes? What about bridges from the wind? Name at least 3 other everyday examples of resonance.
  1. Hearing loss – What is an audiogram? What is presbycusis? What are the different degrees of hearing loss along with their ranges in dB? What is the difference between sensory nerve deafness and conduction deafness?