Sound Energy Examples

Sound energy is the energy produced when sound waves move outward from a vibrating object or sound source. These waves are sources of pressure that move through air, water, or other materials like metal or wood. This type of energy is actually a mechanical energy source.

When the air molecules around the sound waves begin to vibrate, the sound waves are carried. This movement causes a chain reaction to occur as more and more air molecules are made to vibrate. This causes the motion that carries sound waves to the ear, and the ear recognizes the waves as sound.

Sound energy relies on the ear picking up the vibrations, so the further the listener is from the source of the sound, the less vibration he will be able to feel. That will result in less sound for the listener to hear.

The size of the object that is generating the sound energy will produce different types of sound waves, based on its relative size. Since sound energy relies on a medium to carry the vibrations, sound must travel through air, water, or some other medium. The vacuum of space, for example, will not carry the sound waves on vibrating air molecules (due to the lack of air), so there will be no sound.

1.Musical Instruments

We've all enjoyed a musical concert before, and have probably noticed the different sizes and materials of the various instruments. The larger instruments tend to have a deeper sound, while the smaller instruments produce a higher pitch sound. Likewise, whether the instrument is made from silver, brass, wood, or other materials will have an impact on the type of sound it produces and how loudly it can be played.

2.Doppler Effect

When an emergency vehicle with a siren approaches, the listener may hear a different pattern to the siren as the object closes in. The same is true of an airplane flying overhead; the engine will have a different sound when it is still farther away than when it is directly above the listener. This phenomenon is known as the Doppler Effect, and is named after the scientist who proposed it, Austrian physicist Christian Doppler. This effect has to do with the frequency of the sound waves. The closer the listener is to the source of the sound, the closer together the sound waves are. When the listener is still far away, the waves have had the opportunity to radiate apart, so the sound is not only quieter, it is a different pitch.