Practice Question

1.Is sound a transverse or longitudinal wave?

Longitudinal wave

2.A sound wave passes through each of the following materials: Copper, oil and nitrogen gas. 

2a. Which material will the sound wave travel through fastest?

Copper – solid

2b. Which material will the sound wave travel through slowest?

Nitrogen gas

3. Why does sound travel faster  through the air in the summer  compared to the winter?

In the summer it is warmer than in the winter. At higher temperatures the air molecules have more kinetic energy, so they move faster. This means they transmit the sound waves quicker.

4. For refraction of a sound wave to occur, which properties of the sound wave need to change?

Both the speed and direction of the wave

5. If a sound wave moves from water to steel, how would you expect its velocity, wavelenth and freqency to change?

Steel is more dense than water. 

Velocity (wave speed) and wavelength both increase!

Frequency is constant