Final answer:
Ultrasound can be used to shatter gallstones, pulverize cancerous tissue, and create images of tissues and organs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ultrasound can be used at different intensities for various purposes. In medical therapy, ultrasound is used to shatter gallstones or pulverize cancerous tissue in surgical procedures. At higher intensities, ultrasound can damage individual cells and cause their protoplasm to stream inside them, alter their permeability, or rupture their walls through cavitation. Cavitation is the creation of vapor cavities in a fluid, and when these cavities collapse, they produce shock pressures that can further damage tissues (Source: Ultrasound in Medical Therapy).
Ultrasound is also used in medical imaging. Ultrasound waves are emitted from a transducer and transmitted into the tissue. The waves are partially absorbed by the tissue and the reflections from various boundaries between tissues and organs are detected, allowing the nature and position of each boundary to be deduced (Source: When used for imaging, ultrasonic waves are emitted from a transducer).
Overall, ultrasound can be used to break down substances in the body, such as gallstones and cancerous tissue, and it can also be used to create images of tissues and organs in medical imaging (Source: Ultrasound in Medical Therapy and When used for imaging, ultrasonic waves are emitted from a transducer).