Why Does Sound Behave Differently in Various Gases and Media?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the effects of different gases on the human voice, the concept of sound waves traveling through different mediums, and the relationship between frequency and wavelength in different mediums. The questions posed are: why does sound die off in air while light can travel forever in space, how does the effect of gas on the human voice work, and do music notes of the same frequency have the same wavelength in different mediums? The conversation also includes attempts at solving these questions, such as considering the properties of the medium and using physics terminology.
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McKeavey
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Homework Statement


If light travels forever in space..Why does sound die off in air?

When a person inhales helium, his voice sounds high. There is another gas when you inhale it, your voice sounds low.
How does this effect work..?

Does a music note of frequency 440Hz have the same wavelength in water as it does in air?


2. The attempt at a solution
The waves span out..? No idea.

Magic?

No, because it doesn't travel through the same medium..?

Thanks for answering!
 
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  • #2
Call the questions a, b and c.
I think you may have the idea of (a), but the word "span" is not very clear to me.
You must play with (b) a bit. How would you say "sounds high" in physics terms?
Good start on (c). Now what is different about the two media that affects the sound waves? Again, looking for a physics term whose value is different in the two media.
 

FAQ: Why Does Sound Behave Differently in Various Gases and Media?

What is a wave?

A wave is a disturbance that travels through a medium, transferring energy without permanently displacing the medium itself.

What are the characteristics of a wave?

The characteristics of a wave include amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and speed. Amplitude is the maximum displacement of particles in the medium, and wavelength is the distance between two consecutive points in the wave with the same phase. Frequency is the number of complete waves passing through a point per unit time, and speed is the rate at which the wave travels through the medium.

How do sound waves travel?

Sound waves travel through the air as a series of compressions and rarefactions. When an object vibrates, it creates a disturbance in the air which causes the air particles to vibrate and produce sound waves.

How are sound waves measured?

Sound waves are measured in terms of amplitude and frequency. Amplitude is measured in decibels (dB) and represents the loudness of the sound. Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz) and represents the pitch of the sound.

How do sound waves differ from light waves?

Sound waves require a medium to travel through, while light waves can travel through a vacuum. Sound waves are longitudinal waves, meaning that the particles in the medium vibrate parallel to the direction of the wave, while light waves are transverse waves, meaning that the particles vibrate perpendicular to the direction of the wave. Sound waves also travel at a much slower speed than light waves.

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