Name _______________________ Due: 11/18 Period _______
Sound Unit Study Guide
The Sound Unit Test will be on ___Tuesday, November 22, 2016____________.
Dear Students and Families,
At the completion of our Sound Unit students will be taking a large test which covers all the
information and topics we have learned. It is our goal to have the test model questions similar to
what is expected on the States Science Assessment taken by all students this year. Please use this
study guide to help review the major learning targets, vocabulary, and concepts. The Unit Test will
be a mixture of multiple choice, short and extended response questions. It will include diagrams
that students need to interpret and draw. Thank you for your support and as always if you have
any questions please do not hesitate to ask.
Vocabulary
Word
Sound
Definition
A form of energy that travels through solids, liquids
or gases
Example/Picture
La La La
Vibration
The back and forth movement of matter
Tapping back and forth
Pitch
The highness or lowness of a sound
High / Low
Volume
The loudness (or softness) of a sound
Loud / Soft
Frequency
Number of waves per second- determines pitch
20,000 Hz- Human Hearing
Hertz
Unit Pitch of a Sound is measure in (Hz)
25, 000 Hz- Dog Hearing
Decibels
Unit Volume of a Sound is measured in (dB)
120dB- Thunder
Reflection
To bounce off of a surface
Canyon- Echo
Echo
Reflection of Sound off an object
Like in a Canyon
Absorption
To “soak into” an object
Like screaming in a pillow
Transmission
To send through an object
Sound travels through air
Medium
Material through which sound or light travels
(solids, liquids or gasses)
An area where there is no matter
Air, Water, Desks
Vacuum
Outer Space
1. Explain how sound is made.
Sound is made when something vibrates. Vibrations are back-and-forth movements.
2. How does sound travel? (3 things)
Sound travels as a compression wave out in all directions. Molecules are squished then
released as the energy moves from one molecule to the next. Like dominoes falling down.
Sound can travel through solids, liquids and gases. Sound does not travel in a vacuum.
3. Sounds with higher pitches have _higher__frequency waves and vibrate _more_.
4. How can you make a sound Louder?
More energy in the instrument makes a louder sound. Less energy makes a quieter sound.
5. How can you change the pitch of a rubber band guitar? (HINT: 3 ways)
High Pitch
Low Pitch
1. Thin
1. Thick
2. Tight
2.Loose
3. Short
3. Long
Reason
A rubber band that is stretched and thin has less material so it can vibrate quicker. A
short rubber band vibrates quicker because there is not enough space for a long
wavelength. Waves are more frequent. A quicker vibration means a higher pitch.
6. How can you make a high and low sound by BLOWING in a water filled bottle? Explain why.
High Pitch
Low Pitch
More Water
Less water (empty bottle)
Reason
When you blow in the bottle the air vibrates in the space where there is no water. The
smaller the space the less matter to vibrate so there is a higher frequency. Higher
frequency means there is a higher pitch.
7. How can you make a high and low sound using straw flute? Explain why.
High Pitch
Low Pitch
Shorter straw
Longer straw
Reason
A short straw has less room for waves so they are closer together and more frequent.
Waves that are high frequencies have high pitches.
8. How can you make a high and low sound by TAPPING on a water filled bottle? Explain why.
High Pitch
Low Pitch
Less Water
More water
Reason
When you tap on the glass the water and glass are vibrating to make the sound. When
there is more water in the bottle there is more matter to vibrate, which will vibrate
slower. When there is less water the vibrations can happen faster so the pitch is higher.
9. Through what medium does sound travel the quickest? Slowest? Explain why.
Solids- quickest, Gases- slowest
10. Why can’t sound travel in a vacuum?
There is no matter for the sound to travel through in a vacuum. Sound is a compression
wave so it needs something to squish.
11. What kind of temperatures would sound travel the fastest in (Warm/Cold)? Why?
Sound will travel faster in warmer temperatures because the molecules are moving faster so
they will be able to bump into each other a pass the energy faster..
12. Which materials reflect sound the best? Absorb the best?
Hard smooth surfaces reflect sound the best. Soft fluffy surfaces absorb sound the best.
13. Why do dogs or other animals hear pitches that humans don’t?
Dogs can hear a wider range of pitches than humans can. Human hearing is 20-20,000 Hz.
Dogs here up to 25,000 Hz. Some pitches are too high for humans to hear.
14. Explain how a model string telephone works. How can you make sure the other person hears
you the best? Tell 2 ways. Think about how you hold the phones and materials you can use.
Draw a picture below.
A model telephone works by sending vibrations from your voice to the cup then to the string
then to the other cup to the person’s ear.
When the string is loose the energy in the vibrations is lost to the air and the sound does
not travel as well.
A tight string would be better than a loose one because sound will not be lost to the air.
Wire or metal would work better than string because sound travels faster in wire. String
has air spaces between molecules that slow down the waves.