3. (a) Sound travels through the air as longitudinal waves - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 3 - 2012 - Paper 1
Question 3
3. (a) Sound travels through the air as longitudinal waves.
Describe how the air particles move when a sound wave passes.
(b) Elephants call to each other using inf... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:3. (a) Sound travels through the air as longitudinal waves - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 3 - 2012 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe how the air particles move when a sound wave passes.
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Answer
When a sound wave passes through the air, the air particles exhibit a vibration or oscillation. These particles move back and forth in the same direction as the wave travels, creating areas of compression and rarefaction. As the wave moves forward, the particles push and pull adjacent particles, thus facilitating the transfer of energy along the wave.
Step 2
Which of the following statements is the reason that people cannot hear infrasound?
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Answer
The answer is B: the frequency of infrasound is too low. Low frequency infrasound calls are outside the audible range for human hearing.