Sound

About this lab: Sound

Interactive simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 topic 3.4 Sound: air particles in front of a vibrating loudspeaker cone showing compressions and rarefactions with the matching pressure graph, a clap echoing off a wall in air, water or steel with the echo time 2d/v, an oscilloscope trace whose amplitude and frequency set loudness and pitch with the period read from the time base, and ultrasound pulses in a medical scan and a ship's sonar with depth = vt/2.

IGCSE Physics 0625, topic 3.4. Sound as a longitudinal wave, the speed of sound and echoes, loudness and pitch on an oscilloscope, and ultrasound in scans and sonar.

Sound is a free, browser-based simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 (topic 3 Waves, section 3.4 Sound). The course is assessed in Papers 1 and 2 (multiple choice), 3 and 4 (theory), 5 (practical test) and 6 (alternative to practical). There are 4 tabs, each a self-contained experiment with its own controls and live readings, and nothing to install: it runs on a laptop, tablet or classroom projector.

Syllabus coverage

• 3.4 Describe the production of sound by vibrating sources
• 3.4 Describe the longitudinal nature of sound waves
• 3.4 State the approximate range of frequencies audible to humans as 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz
• 3.4 Know that a medium is needed to transmit sound waves
• 3.4 Know that the speed of sound in air is approximately 330–350 m / s
• 3.4 Describe a method involving a measurement of distance and time for determining the speed of sound in air
• 3.4 Describe how changes in amplitude and frequency affect the loudness and pitch of sound waves
• 3.4 Describe an echo as the reflection of sound waves
• Lessons on this topic: Sound as a longitudinal wave (compression, rarefaction), Audible range, speed of sound, and echoes, Amplitude, frequency, loudness, and pitch, Ultrasound: medical scanning and sonar.

Full syllabus map: IGCSE Physics 0625 topic 3.

How to use this simulation

1. 1. Longitudinal wave.
2. 2. Speed and echoes.
3. 3. Loudness and pitch.
4. 4. Ultrasound.
5. The buttons at the end of the tab strip give the scene the whole window (Full screen, Hide controls) and, on a dark stage, a projector-friendly palette (Light scene). Many scenes also have drag handles: drag them to change the set-up directly.

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