Final answer:
The characteristics of sound waves are divided into objective properties like wavelength, frequency, and amplitude, and subjective properties such as pitch, loudness, and tone. Sound waves are longitudinal waves that require a medium to travel, unlike light waves. Hearing is the biological perception of the physical phenomenon of sound.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristics of Sound Waves
When discussing the characteristics of sound waves, it is important to differentiate between objective and subjective properties. Objective characteristics can be measured and quantified, while subjective characteristics are based on personal perception and cannot be precisely measured.
- Wavelength: The distance between two wave crests or troughs is an objective property.
- Frequency: The number of wave crests passing a point per second, expressed in hertz (Hz), is another objective property.
- Amplitude: The height of the crest above the null point is also an objective property.
- Pitch, loudness, and tone are subjective characteristics of sound as they depend on an individual's unique hearing abilities.
Sound waves are termed longitudinal waves because they involve the compression and rarefaction of the medium through which they travel. Unlike light waves, which are electromagnetic and can travel in a vacuum, sound waves require a medium such as a gas, liquid, or solid. This is due to sound being a mechanical wave that relies on the movement of particles in a medium.
Difference Between Sound and Hearing
Sound is a physical phenomenon, a pressure wave that propagates through a medium, while hearing is the perception of sound by the auditory system in living organisms. The pressure changes in sound waves are used in modeling because they represent the disturbances that travel, and not the static pressure of the medium itself.