Practical 3

Topic

: To demonstrate and explain how different sound quality is produced.

Purpose

: To demonstrate and explain how different sound quality is produced.

Theoretical
knowledge

Sound is produced when something vibrates. The vibrating body

causes the medium (water, air, etc.) around it to vibrate. Vibrations

in air

are called traveling longitudinal waves, which we can hear. Sound

waves

consist

compressions and

of

areas

of

high

rarefactions,

and

low

respectively.

pressure
Shown

called
in

the

diagram below is a traveling wave.

The shaded bar above it represents the varying pressure of the
wave. Lighter areas are low pressure (rarefactions) and darker
areas are

high pressure (compressions). One wavelength of the wave

is highlighted

in red. This pattern repeats indefinitely. The wavelength of

voice is about

one meter long. The wavelength and the speed of the

wave determine the

pitch, or frequency of the sound. Wavelength,

frequency, and speed are

related by the equation speed = frequency *

wavelength.
Since sound travels at 343 meters per second at standard
temperature and pressure (STP), speed is a constant. Thus,
frequency is

determined by speed / wavelength. The longer the

wavelength, the lower

amplitude. The amplitude
Greater amplitude means the sound

the pitch. The 'height' of the wave is its

determines how loud a sound will be.
will be louder.

Sound is a travelling wave which is an oscillation of pressure

transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within
the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the
sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations. For humans,
hearing is normally limited to frequencies between about 12 Hz and
20,000 Hz (20 kHz), although these limits are not definite.
The upper limit generally decreases with age. Other species have a
different range of hearing. For example, dogs can perceive vibrations
higher than 20 kHz. As a signal perceived by one of the major
senses,

sound is used by many species for detecting danger,

navigation,

predation, and communication. Earth's atmosphere,

water, and virtually

any physical phenomenon, such as fire, rain, wind,

surf, or earthquake,

produces (and is characterized by) its unique sounds.

Many species, such as frogs, birds, marine and terrestrial
mammals, have also developed special organs to produce sound.

In some

species, these have evolved to produce song and speech.

Furthermore,

humans have developed culture and technology (such

as music,

telephone and radio) that allows them to generate

record, transmit, and

broadcast sound. The mechanical vibrations

that can be interpreted as

sound are able to travel through all forms of

matter: gases, liquids, solids,

and plasmas. The matter that supports

the sound is called the medium.

Sound cannot travel through vacuum.

Longitudinal and transverse waves

Sinusoidal waves of various frequencies; the bottom waves have

higher frequencies than those above. The horizontal axis
represents time.
Sound is transmitted through gases, plasma, and liquids as
longitudinal waves, also called compression waves. Through solids,
however, it can be transmitted as both longitudinal and transverse
waves.

Longitudinal sound waves are waves of alternating pressure

deviations

from the equilibrium pressure, causing local regions of

compression and
waves of alternating

rarefaction, while transverse waves (in solids) are

shear stress at right angle to the direction of

propagation.
Matter in the medium is periodically displaced by a sound wave,
and thus oscillates. The energy carried by the sound wave converts
back

and forth between the potential energy of the extra compression (in

case

of longitudinal waves) or lateral displacement strain (in case of

transverse

waves) of the matter and the kinetic energy of the

oscillations of the
Aim

medium.

: To identify the difference sounds produce in different volume of water.

Statement
of problem : How to identify the difference sounds produce?
Hypothesis : The different volume of water in bottle, the different sounds produce.

Apparatus
and
Materials

i. 3 identical glass bottles

ii. Water
iii. Tuning fork
iv. Bowl
v. Meter rule
vi. Pencil

Variables

:
a) Manipulated

: Length of tuning fork/ height of water

b) Responding

: Sound that produce

c) Fixed

: Shapes/ types of identical glass bottles

Procedures :
1. A bowl filled with water. A tuning fork was tapped against the sole of my
shoes. The tip of one of the prongs in water was placed. Observation
was recorded.
2. The tuning fork again is tapped and holds it near to ear. Prediction has
made.
3. The 3 identical bottles was labeled as A, B and C. full of water was
poured into A, full into B and full into C.
4. The distance from top of each bottle to the surface of water was
measured. Then, the height of the water of water in each bottles also
measured. The measurement was recorded.
5. Air was blown across the top of each bottles and prediction was made
in turn. The sound produced was listening. Each sound was described

in terms of its pitch whether low, medium or high. The pitch of each
sound was recorded.
6. The side of each bottle was gently tapped with a pencil to produce
another sound. The sound was identified whether similar or different
from the sound produced by blowing across the top of the bottles. The
pitch of each sound was recorded.

Diagram :

Bottle A

Bottle B

Bottle C

Demonstrating the Production of Different Sound Quality

Result

Measurement
Bottle

Water volume

Distance from top

High of water

(cm)

(cm)

A
B
C

(ml)
full
full
full

Air blew across the top bottle

Bottle

Prediction of

Inference

Actual

sound pitch
Low

Sound produce because of more air

sound pitch
Low

Medium

space in bottle
Sound produce because of medium

Medium

High

air space in bottle

Sound produce because of short air

High

B
C

space in bottle

The side of bottle gently tapped with a pencil

Bottle

Prediction of

sound pitch
High

Medium

Low

Inference

Sound produce because of small

water space in bottle
Sound produce because of medium

Actual
sound pitch
High
Medium

water space in bottle

Sound produce because of big

Low

water space in bottle

Discussion :
The differences of water volume and air space in bottle produce the difference
sounds with difference note of pitch.
When blow across the top of each bottle, it makes the air inside the bottle
vibrate. Small air spaces vibrate more rapidly than large air spaces. When
there is little air in the bottle, produce a high note. When there is more
air, the note is lower. The prediction is that the lowest pitch will occur when there is
no water inside the glass. This is because there is no vibration to occur inside the
glass. The more water that is in the glass, the higher the pitch will be due to the
vibrations of the water. This prediction was made based on the fact that pitch is how
high or low a sound seems. The faster a body vibrates, the more vibrations it
produces per second, and the higher the sound or pitch. The slower a body
vibrates, the less vibrations it produces a second, and the lower the sound or pitch.
When blowing across the top of the bottle, the column of air trapped inside the bottle will
begin to vibrate. Therefore, the longer the column of air, the more room the sound
waves have to decrease their speed.
We hear sound when a moving object makes the air vibrate. These vibrations travel
through the air in the form of waves and are picked up by our ears as sounds.

The pitch of sound is determined by the frequency of the sound waves detected by the
ear. The higher the frequency is, the higher the pitch will be. Pitch corresponds directly
to a repeated event per time.
When tap each bottle, it makes the bottle vibrate. The pitch of the note
depends on the amount of water in the bottle. More water volume in bottle vibration is
lower compared little water volume. With more water, the pitch of the note is lower.
When there is little water the pitch of the note produce is high.
Because sound waves traveling through the shortest space make the highest pitch, the
glass with the least amount of water makes the highest pitch.
Blow on each glass and compare the results. Because smaller columns of air produce a
higher pitch, blowing across the top of the glass with the most water produces the
highest pitch.

Conclusion :
Highest pitch when blowing bottle

: Bottle C

Lowest pitch when blowing bottle

: Bottle A

Highest pitch when tapping bottle

: Bottle A

Lowest pitch when tapping bottle

: Bottle C

Medium pitch when blowing and tapping bottle : Bottle B

The hypothesis is accepted when the different volume of water gives different sounds
produce.
Questions

1. In procedure 6, which bottle produced the highest pitch? What caused the
change in pitch from bottle to bottle?
The bottle C has the higher pitch. This is because of the amount of air
the bottle C has. It has the smallest amount of air. The amount of air in
the bottle can change the pitch of the sound that produced when we
blow on the top of the bottle or tap on the bottle. As we all know that
sound can travelled in air and any medium. But, in this experiment we
discussed about the pitch. Every bottle has produced different pitch.
This is cause of the air space in the bottle. When the air space is higher,
it will make the wavelength of the sound to be longer. So, this will affect
on the pitch of the sound. The smaller air space in the bottle the higher
pitch of sound the bottle will produce.
2. Describe how the sound is produced in procedure 8? Which bottle produced
the highest pitch? What caused the change in pitch from bottle to bottle?
The sound was produce by the vibrating of the bottle. It is not same as
the sound produced by blowing on the top of the bottle. When we tap on
the side of the bottle, we have made the bottle to be vibrated. But, it was
affected by the height of the water. The higher the water the shorter
wavelength will produce. So, this will make a higher pitch. The bottle
which has the highest pitch is the bottle C. The height of water in the
bottle has caused the changed in pitch from bottle to bottle.
3. Compare the sounds you produce by blowing across the top of the bottles
with those produced by tapping on the bottles. What was the difference in
pitch for each bottle? Explain your observations.
The sound that produced by blowing on the top of the bottle is lower
than tapping on the side of the bottle. Each of them has a different pitch.
But, both of them have the higher pitch than the other bottle. This is
because of the air. When we blow on the top of the bottle, we have made
the molecules in the air to be vibrating. While, when we tapping on the

side of the bottle, we have made the bottle to vibrate. At the same time
we actually have used the water as a medium for the sound. This meant
that we have used a different medium in producing sound. These have
make the sound quality is different but have the higher pitch than the
bottle A and B.
4. By looking at your data table, how does the length of the column of air affect
the pitch? How does the height of the water affect the pitch?
From the data table, I found that the shorter the lengths of the column of
air in the bottle the higher pitch you will get. This is because; it will
make the wavelength to be shorter. So, the pitch that has been
produced is higher. While, higher the height of water the higher pitch
will be produce. This is because of the medium. We have used the water
as a medium for the sound to separate. So, it will produce different
sound from the sound that produce by blowing on the top of the bottle.
But, both of tapping and blowing have produced the higher pitch.
5. What conclusions can you draw about the relationship between the sounds
produced and the medium through which the sound travels?
From this practical, I can conclude that the sound was travel in air. So,
the air space can affect the sound quality. In this practical, I found that
the smaller column of air the higher pitch we will get. This is because
the smaller column of air will produce the shorter wavelength. In the
same time, it has made a higher pitch.
6. THINK: Violins are stringed instruments. Flutes and clarinets are woodwinds,
and trumpets and brass instruments. What do all these musical instruments
have in common?
There were all produced by the vibrating. This is because sound is
produce by anything that vibrates. They are different in the medium that
they used for the sound travels. All of them have the pitch, loudness

and quality sound. But different in the quality sound and loudness
although they using the same pitch.

Mastery Of knowledge And Skills Questions:

1. At the end of the practical, answer the following questions:
a) What have you learnt from the practical?
After doing this practical, I have learnt that sound was produce by
anything that vibrates. There were also some concept that involved
in this topic such as frequency and wavelength. The sound also uses
a medium to travels. They can be air, water or anything else. This
medium can affect the quality of the sound. In this practical, we have
found that the smaller column of air the higher pitch will be produce.
This is because, the smaller column of air will made the sound to
have shorter wavelength. When the wavelength is shorter, it will
produce a high frequency. This meant that it has produced a higher
pitch of sound. For me, all students should learn and fully
understand about this topic because this topic can give them the
knowledge so that they can apply it in their daily life.
b) Which part of the primary science curriculum teaches this particular topic?
Level II; Year 5; Investigating The Physical World; Sound.
c) Discuss how you can use the above practical in your teaching and
learning?
I will use the above practical in my class so that there will be handson activities in my class. This is because the students will be easily
to remember and understand by doing the activities by themselves. I

also will ask them to do this type of practical so that they will be
more understood on this topic. So, as a teacher I must use any style
or tactic in my teaching process so that the students will understand
about this topic and also can applied those concept that they have
learnt in the topic in their daily life.
d) What was the role of the teacher in the above practical?
In this practical, they were student centered which means that the
teacher just act like a facilitator to help them whenever they have any
problems. The teacher also can guide them while doing the
experiment so that there will be no problems and also can get the
accurate result or answer.

Resources

:
Longman PRE- U Text STPM; Physics; Volume 1; Cheong Foon Choong.
http://method-behind-the-music.com/mechanics/physics
http://cnx.org/content/m11060/latest/
http://www.gcse.com/waves/sound_pitch.htm
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_pitch_in_physics
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/physics/u5c22phy.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/19537/Physics3.html