A student sets up the apparatus as shown here, to investigate the properties of sound waves. A burning candle is placed next to a bell glass with an openign that is connected to vacuum
pump. A loudspeaker is placed inside the bell glass and connected to an electric current that causes the cone or surface of the loudspeaker to vibrate and propagates a sound wave of maximum volume. The vacuum pump is off.
1.1 Explain how the loudspeaker can propagate a sound wave.
1.2 what happens to the candle flame?
1.3 how do the air particles move around the candle flame as a result of the sound waves that are propagated by the loud speaker?
1.4 Are sound waves transverse or longitudinal waves? Explain.
1.5 After the vacuum pump is switched on what happens to the candle flame? Explain shortly.
1.6 What can be derived from the propagationof sound waves from
1.1 The loudspeaker can propagate a sound wave by vibrating the cone or surface of the speaker, which causes the surrounding air particles to also vibrate. These vibrating air particles then create a series of compressions and rarefactions that travel through the air as sound waves.
1.2 The candle flame will likely flicker or move due to the vibrations in the air caused by the sound wave propagated by the loudspeaker.
1.3 The air particles around the candle flame will move back and forth in the direction of the sound wave propagation. This movement of air particles creates areas of high pressure (compressions) and low pressure (rarefactions) that cause the candle flame to flicker or move.
1.4 Sound waves are longitudinal waves, as the particles of the medium (in this case, air) vibrate parallel to the direction of the wave propagation. When the loudspeaker vibrates, it compresses and expands the air particles in the same direction in which the sound wave is traveling.
1.5 When the vacuum pump is switched on, the air is removed from the bell jar, creating a lower pressure environment inside. This causes the sound waves to travel less efficiently, as there are fewer air particles to transmit the vibrations. As a result, the candle flame may stop flickering or move less due to the decreased effectiveness of the sound wave propagation.
1.6 From the propagation of sound waves, one can derive information about the frequency, wavelength, and speed of sound in the specific medium (air in this case). By studying how the sound waves interact with the environment, one can gain insights into the behavior of sound and its properties.