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Chapter 6: Problem 24

As a loud, low-frequency sound wave travels past a small balloon, the balloon's size is affected. Explain what happens. (The effect is too small to be observed under ordinary circumstances.)

Short Answer

Expert verified
Question: Explain how a loud, low-frequency sound wave can affect the size of a small balloon. Answer: A loud, low-frequency sound wave will generate significant pressure changes as it travels past a small balloon, due to its long wavelength and high amplitude. These pressure changes affect the pressure of the air inside the balloon, causing its size to change. However, this effect is generally too small to be observed under ordinary circumstances.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Sound Waves

Sound waves are mechanical waves that propagate through a medium (such as air) by causing the particles in the medium to vibrate. These vibrations cause regions of high and low pressure known as compressions and rarefactions, respectively. Sound waves have certain characteristics, such as amplitude (how loud the sound is) and frequency (how high or low the pitch is).
02

Understanding Pressure Changes

When a sound wave travels past an object, the object will experience changes in pressure from the compressions and rarefactions of the sound wave. For a small balloon, these pressure changes will affect the pressure of the air inside the balloon and, in turn, change the balloon's size.
03

The Effect of Low-Frequency Sound Waves

Low-frequency sound waves have a longer wavelength and can cause more significant pressure changes as they pass through the air. This means that a low-frequency sound wave may have a more noticeable effect on the size of a small balloon than a high-frequency sound wave with a shorter wavelength.
04

The Effect of Loud Sound Waves

Loud sound waves have a higher amplitude, which means they generate more force on the particles in the medium they travel through. As a result, the pressure changes induced by a loud sound wave will have a greater impact on the balloon's size.
05

Explaining the Overall Effect

As a loud, low-frequency sound wave travels past a small balloon, the pressure changes caused by the compressions and rarefactions in the sound wave will affect the pressure of the air inside the balloon. The low-frequency aspect of the sound wave results in more significant pressure changes. Additionally, the loudness of the sound wave will also increase the pressure changes experienced by the balloon. The combined effect of these factors is that the small balloon's size is affected by the sound wave. However, it is important to note that this effect is too small to be observed under ordinary circumstances.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Normal telephones do not transmit pure tones with frequencies below about \(300 \mathrm{~Hz}\). But a person whose speaking voice has a frequency of \(100 \mathrm{~Hz}\) can be heard and understood over the phone. Why is that?

When a wave passes through two nearby gaps in a barrier, interference will occur, provided that there is also diffraction. Why must there be diffraction?

\- Give an example of a wave that does not need a medium in which to travel and a wave that does need a medium.

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