Loading please wait

The smart way to improve grades

Comprehensive & curriculum aligned

Try an activity or get started for free

Explore the Properties of Sound Waves

In this worksheet, students will look at the definitions of intensity, amplitude, pitch and frequency and also at sound as a wave and vibration.

'Explore the Properties of Sound Waves' worksheet

Key stage:  KS 3

Year:  Year 8 Science worksheets

Curriculum topic:   Physics: Waves

Curriculum subtopic:   Sound Waves

Difficulty level:  

Worksheet Overview

What makes sound?

Sound is a form of energy, and hearing is one of our most important senses. The sounds we hear vary in intensity from quiet to loud.  Sounds can also have a high or low pitch.

 

Sound energy makes objects vibrate - for example, vocal chords in the throat when we speak and guitar strings.  Different musical instruments are designed to make different sound waves.  Musicians use tuning forks to find a note by tapping the fork lightly so that it makes a pure sound, the two prongs vibrating to make a note.  Here is a picture of a tuning fork:

 

Tuning fork

 

Properties of sound waves

Sound is what we call a pressure wave, also known as longitudinal waves. Sound waves carry energy parallel to the direction of the wave. We can view the way sound waves travel by using a slinky spring (see picture below). Vibrations are created when we push and pull one end of the slinky backwards and forwards. When air travels through the air, the air particles squash up (compressions - areas of high pressure) and then move apart (rarefactions - areas of low pressure) just like the coils of the slinky. 

 

Slinky

 

The frequency of a wave is the number of complete waves that pass through a fixed point in a second. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz). Listening to a 20 Hz sound means 20 sound waves reach your ear every second. The pitch of a sound depends on the frequency, so high-pitched sounds have a high frequency and low-pitched sounds have a low frequency.

 

Oscilloscope

 

The distance between the tops of two waves as shown in the oscilloscope is called the wavelength. A long wavelength means the sound has a low frequency and a low pitch, whereas a short wavelength means high frequency and high pitch. Half the height of a wave is called the amplitude. Bigger amplitude means the sound has more energy and is louder than a sound with a smaller amplitude.

 

The diagram below illustrates wavelength and amplitude:

 

Sound wave

 

Let's try some questions now.

What is EdPlace?

We're your National Curriculum aligned online education content provider helping each child succeed in English, maths and science from year 1 to GCSE. With an EdPlace account you’ll be able to track and measure progress, helping each child achieve their best. We build confidence and attainment by personalising each child’s learning at a level that suits them.

Get started
laptop

Try an activity or get started for free

  • National Tutoring Awards 2023 Shortlisted / Parents
    National Tutoring Awards 2023 Shortlisted
  • Private-Tutoring-WINNER-EducationInvestor-Awards / Parents
    Winner - Private Tutoring
  • Bett Awards Finalist / Parents
    Finalist
  • Winner - Best for Home Learning / Parents
    Winner - Best for Home Learning / Parents