Tag: propagation of sound waves

Questions Related to propagation of sound waves

Light .......... travel in vacuum , but the sound ........ travel in vacuum.

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. Cannot , can

  2. Can, cannot

  3. Sometimes, never

  4. Never, sometimes

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Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The light can travel in vacuum, but the sound can not travel in vacuum. speed of light in air is $\displaystyle 3\times { 10 }^{ 8 }{ m }/{ s }$

Speed of light in air is about ....... times greater than the speed of sound in air.

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. Million

  2. Trillion

  3. Billion

  4. None

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Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The speed of light in air is $\displaystyle 3\times { 10 }^{ 8 }{ m }/{ s }$ which is about a million times greater than the speed of sound in air (i.e. 330 m/s at $\displaystyle { 0 }^{ \circ  }C$

An aeroplane travelling at the speed of sound will have a velocity of:

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. 1000 km/hr

  2. 1180 km/hr

  3. 1540 k/hr

  4. 1620 k/hr

Show answer
Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Speed of sound in air is , $v=330m/s=330\times18/5=1188km/hr$ , as stated that aeroplane is travelling with the velocity of sound therefore its velocity is $1188km/hr$ .

The correct statement is:

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. Sound and light both require medium for propagation.

  2. Sound can travel in vacuum, but light can not.

  3. Sound needs medium, but light does not need medium for its propagation.

  4. Sound and light both can travel in vacuum.

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Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Sound waves need to travel through a medium such as a solid, liquid, or gas. The sound waves move through each of these mediums by vibrating the molecules in the matter. The molecules in solids are packed very tightly. Liquids are not packed as tightly as solids. And gasses are very loosely packed. The spacing of the molecules enables sound to travel much faster through a solid than a gas. Sound travels about four times faster and farther in water than it does in air. 
Sound waves are traveling vibrations of particles in media such as air, water or metal. So it stands to reason that they cannot travel through empty space, where there are no atoms or molecules to vibrate.
Light travels as a wave. But unlike sound waves or water waves, it does not need any matter or material to carry its energy along. This means that light can travel through a vacuum, a completely airless space. Nothing travels faster than light energy. 
Hence, the statement "Sound needs medium, but light does not need medium for its propagation." is correct.

 A stone is dropped from the top of a tower $500$m high into a pond of water at the base of the tower. When is the splash heard at the top ? (Given $g = 10 ms^{-2}$ and speed of sound =$ 340 ms^{-1}$)

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. $10s$

  2. $11.47s$

  3. $1.10s$

  4. $20s$

Show answer
Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Given -  $h=500m   ,  g10m/s^{2} ,  v=340m/s$ ,

by ,  $h=ut+(1/2)gt^{2}$ ,
        $500=0+(1/2)10t^{2}$  ,   (initial velocity , $u=0$) ,
or     $t^{2}=1000/10=100$ ,
or     $t=10s$ ,
it is the time taken by stone to reach the water level , after that a sound is produced due to strike of stone on water , and sound travels upwards .Let t' be the time taken by sound to reach the base of tower ,
then , $t'=h/v=500/340=1.47s$ ,
therefore time taken by splash to hear at the top ,
        $T=t+t'=10+1.47=11.47s$

If the pressure of the medium increases then the speed of sound

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. Increases

  2. Decreases

  3. Remains constant

  4. None

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Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The speed of sound does not depend on the pressure of the medium provided temperature remains constant.

What is the change in frequency observed by a stationary observer when a source of frequency f; Take speed of sound in $air=V _0$

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. $\frac{V _0}{V _0+V _s}f$

  2. $\frac{V _0V _s}{V _0+V _s}f$

  3. $\frac{2V _0V _s}{V _0^2-V _s^2}f$

  4. $\frac{2V _s}{V _0^2-V _s^2}f$

Show answer
Correct Option: B

The sound of lightning flash is heard $3$ second after the flash is seen. The distance of the lightning is $1020$ metre. The speed of sound is:

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. $1400\ m/s$

  2. $332\ m/s$

  3. $340\ m/s$

  4. $none\ of\ these$

Show answer
Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Given data,
Distance $d=1020 m$
Time $t=3s$
Speed$=?$
$Speed=\dfrac{distance }{time}=\dfrac{1020}{3}=340 m/s$

The speed of sound in air is  330m/s. It takes 10s for sound to reach a certain distance from the source placed in air. Find the distance.

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. 669m

  2. 330m

  3. 3300m

  4. 1200m

Show answer
Correct Option: C
Explanation:

$\displaystyle V=330{ m }/{ s },t=2s,V=\frac { d }{ t } $
$\displaystyle d=V\times t$
$\displaystyle =330\times 10=3300m$

The smoke from a gun barrel is seen 10s before the explosion is heard. If the speed of sound in air is 340 m/s. Calculate the distance of observer from the gun :

physics propagation of sound waves longitudinal vs transverse wave sound and light comparison of speed of sound with speed of light

  1. 3400m

  2. 2402m

  3. 62m

  4. 900m

Show answer
Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Speed of sound = 340 m/s
time = 10s
Speed = Distance travelled / time taken
Distance = speed x time
=340 x 10 = 3400 m.