The sound of a plucked guitar string travels through the air and strikes the airdrop of a person in the same room. How does the soundwave change when it transfers from the air to the persons eardrum
When a sound wave travels through the air and reaches the eardrum of a person, a few changes occur:
1. Intensity: The intensity of the sound wave decreases as it travels through the air and reaches the person's eardrum. This decrease in intensity is due to the spreading out or dissipation of energy as the sound wave spreads outwards from the source. However, the decrease in intensity may also occur due to absorption and reflection of the sound wave by objects in the room.
2. Frequency: The frequency of the sound wave remains the same as it transfers from the air to the person's eardrum. The guitar string generates vibrations of a particular frequency, and these vibrations remain unchanged as the sound wave propagates through the air.
3. Directionality: As the sound wave reaches the person's ear, the outer shape of the ear, known as the pinna, acts as a funnel, capturing sound waves and directing them towards the ear canal. This helps to focus and amplify the sound waves, making them more prominent before they reach the eardrum.
4. Amplification: The middle ear, which consists of the eardrum and a series of tiny bones called ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes), plays a crucial role in further amplifying the sound wave. When the sound wave reaches the eardrum, it causes the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the ossicles, which act as a mechanical amplifier, increasing the amplitude of the sound wave before it is transferred to the inner ear.
Overall, the sound wave undergoes certain changes in intensity and amplification as it travels from the air to the eardrum, while the frequency remains unchanged. These changes enable our ears to perceive and process the sound, ultimately allowing us to hear the plucked guitar string.