* Mechanical Wave: A wave that requires a medium to travel through. It can't travel through a vacuum like light.
* Vibrating Particles: The particles in the medium are pushed and pulled back and forth, creating a chain reaction of vibrations.
* Energy Transfer: Sound waves transfer energy from one point to another.
How we perceive sound:
Our ears detect these vibrations and send signals to our brain, which interprets them as sound. We perceive different sounds based on the frequency, amplitude, and waveform of the sound wave.
* Frequency: Determines the pitch of a sound (high or low). Measured in Hertz (Hz).
* Amplitude: Determines the loudness of a sound (soft or loud). Measured in decibels (dB).
* Waveform: Determines the timbre or quality of a sound. Different instruments produce different waveforms, even if they play the same note.
In essence:
Sound is a form of energy that travels as vibrations through a medium and is perceived by our ears as a result of those vibrations.