Question 1

What is sound?

Accepted Answer

Sound is a type of energy that we can hear. It travels in waves through the air or water.

Question 2

How does sound travel?

Accepted Answer

Sound travels in waves, like ripples on a pond. When something makes a noise, it moves air particles, which then bump into each other to carry the sound to our ears.

Question 3

Why can't we hear sound in space?

Accepted Answer

Space doesn't have air or water, so there are no particles to carry sound waves. That's why sound can't travel there.

Question 4

What are sound waves?

Accepted Answer

Sound waves are invisible ripples that carry sound. They move from the source of the sound to our ears.

Question 5

What is frequency in sound?

Accepted Answer

Frequency is how many sound waves pass a point in one second. Higher frequencies sound like high-pitched squeaks, and lower frequencies sound like deep rumbles.

Question 6

How do musical instruments make sound?

Accepted Answer

Musical instruments make sound when something vibrates. These vibrations send sound waves through the air that we hear as music.

Question 7

Why do some sounds seem loud and others quiet?

Accepted Answer

Sounds seem loud or quiet because of their energy. A loud sound sends stronger waves that push on our ears more.

Question 8

Can animals hear sounds that we can't?

Accepted Answer

Yes, some animals can hear sounds we can't. Dogs, for example, can hear really high-pitched sounds that are too high for us.

Question 9

What is an echo?

Accepted Answer

An echo is a sound that bounces off a surface, like a wall or mountain, and comes back to you. It's like a sound boomerang.

Question 10

Why does your voice sound different when recorded?

Accepted Answer

Our voice sounds different when recorded because we're used to hearing it from inside our heads. A recording plays it back from outside, which sounds different to us.

Question 11

What makes a sound high or low?

Accepted Answer

The pitch of a sound makes it high or low. A high pitch is like a bird chirping, while a low pitch is like a drum beating.

Question 12

What happens when sound waves hit a surface?

Accepted Answer

When sound waves hit a surface, they can bounce back, making an echo, be absorbed, making the sound quieter, or pass through.

Question 13

Why do we hear thunder after we see lightning?

Accepted Answer

Light travels faster than sound. So, we see the lightning first and hear the thunder later.

Question 14

What is vibration?

Accepted Answer

Vibration is the rapid back-and-forth movement that creates sound. Think of plucking a guitar string and how it moves.

Question 15

How do we measure sound?

Accepted Answer

We measure sound in decibels, which tells us how loud something is. More decibels mean a louder sound.

Question 16

Why do we put our ears to the ground to hear trains?

Accepted Answer

Sound travels faster through solid things, like the ground, than through air. That's why you might hear a train through the ground before you hear it in the air.

Question 17

What are acoustics?

Accepted Answer

Acoustics is the study of how sound travels in different places. It helps us understand why sound seems different in a large hall compared to a small room.

Question 18

What is noise pollution?

Accepted Answer

Noise pollution is unwanted and loud noise that can be harmful. It can make it hard to hear and cause stress.

Question 19

How do our ears help us hear?

Accepted Answer

Our ears catch sound waves and turn them into signals the brain understands. Our brain then tells us what we're hearing.

Question 20

Why do some rooms have soft things on the walls for sound?

Accepted Answer

Soft things on walls help absorb sound, making it clearer and less echoey. This is often done in places like theaters and recording studios.

The Science of Sound: Waves, Frequencies, and Acoustics - 20 FAQs Explained Simply