Minds On
Sounds are all around us! Sound is a form of energy that is all about vibrations, and can travel through air, water, and solids. Think about your daily life – what sounds do you encounter?
Brainstorm a list of sounds you encounter during your daily life in a method of your choice. If possible, share this list with someone else.
In this learning activity, you will be investigating the properties of sound, how sound travels, and different devices that use sound to operate. Begin by completing the R-A-N chart about sound. For now, only focus on the first two sections of the R-A-N chart. You can use the fillable organizer provided or record your ideas in another method of your choice.
What I think I know – record what you believe you already know about sound. Record all your ideas, even if you’re not sure if they are accurate. You will have a chance to revisit them and either confirm them or identify them as a misconception.
What I wonder – what are you curious to learn more about when it comes to sound?
Complete the RAN Chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
| What I think I know | What I wonder | What was confirmed | Misconceptions | New learning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access RAN Chart.
At the end of the learning activity, you will have an opportunity to complete the rest of the chart.
Action
All about sound
Sounds are all around us, all of the time! Sometimes, we refer to sound with different words, such as noise or music. Sound is a form of energy that is created when something vibrates, and these vibrations, or waves of energy, are sent into someone’s ears. All sounds are made the same way – through vibrations that can be sensed by the ear. The path of vibration is often referred to as a sound wave that can be heard deep inside the ears, that then sends a message to the brain.
Explore the following video to examine sound waves.
There are five properties of sound that dictate how sound behaves. Explore these properties further in the following accordion. As you are exploring, complete the organizer provided, or record key information in a method of your choice.
Complete the Properties of Sound Chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
| Property | Explanation | Diagram and/or example |
|---|---|---|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Properties of Sound Chart.
Press the following tabs to access the five properties of sound.
Sound travels in waves through air, water, and solid objects as vibrations. Sound travels at different speeds depending on what it is travelling through. The thicker the material, the slower the sound will travel. Therefore, sound travels quickly through air because it is thinner.
Sounds are made when objects vibrate. The vibration makes the air around the object vibrate, and those air vibrations travel into the ear. The number of vibrations per second is known as frequency, and some animals can detect different frequencies than humans.
Let’s learn more by exploring this short Science North video clip.
Sound can be reflected off of different surfaces, which is called an echo. An echo happens when a sound wave bounces off of a surface and causes someone to hear the sound again. This is why someone’s voice might sound different in an empty room compared to a full room. In a full room, the sound has more objects to be reflected off of.
When sound is not bouncing off surfaces to create an echo, it is being absorbed. Some surfaces, usually ones that are not hard, absorb sound waves. This is why someone’s voice may sound softer in a room full of furniture compared to an empty room.
The volume and pitch of a sound can be changed. A weak vibration does not travel far. A high sound has a high pitch and a low sound has a low pitch.
Volume is how loud a sound is.
Pitch is how high or low the sound is.
Explore this concept further in this short Science North video clip. If possible, give the sounds a try yourself!
Use the information you recorded to respond to the following true or false questions about the properties of sound.
Select the correct answer, then press ‘Check Answer’ to see how you did.
Sound on the move
Sound, just like light, travels. Sound travels by particles bumping into each other as they vibrate.
Do you think sound travels faster through air or through water? Explain your prediction.
When making a prediction, I can…
Press ‘Answer’ to access whether sound travels faster through air or water.
Explore the following video to learn whether sound travels faster in air or water.
Making use of properties of sound
Can you think of any devices that you use in your everyday life that rely on the properties of sound? Brainstorm your ideas in a method of your choice. If possible, share your ideas with a partner.
Some devices that are used in everyday life make use of the properties of sound, and the properties of light. Scientists have been exploring sound waves for decades and are always developing technologies that make use of the properties of sound. Check out a few of these examples.
Press the following tabs to access technologies that use the properties of sound.
A hearing aid is used to assist people who cannot hear as well as, others or cannot hear anything at all. A hearing aid is a small electronic device that is worn in or behind the ear. There are several different styles of hearing aids. The hearing aid receives a sound through a microphone, which converts the sound waves to an electrical signal that is then sent to an amplifier that increases the power of the signal and sends it to the ear.
A microphone converts sound waves (sound energy) into a small electrical current. The sound waves hit a diaphragm that vibrates and moves a magnet near a coil. The air pressure of the sound waves causes the diaphragm to vibrate and produce sound.
Sonar is sound navigation and ranging, a technology that uses sound waves to sense the location of an object in the ocean. Simple sonar devices send out a sound pulse and measure the time it takes for the sound pulse to be reflected back, which then calculates how far away an object is. Scientists use this technology to study the ocean, locate underwater hazards, search for and map objects at sea level, and map the seafloor itself.
Safety devices and synesthesia
In this task, you will be conducting research relating to sound. Before beginning your investigation, explore this video that explains the skills used in the scientific research process.
There are many safety devices that utilize the properties of sound. Choose one of the following safety devices and answer the questions below. You can also choose a safety device of your own and conduct some research on your own. Be sure to ask for support if exploring websites on your own.
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Conduct research to respond to the following questions:
- What is this device used for?
- How is it related to sound?
- How does the device provide safety?
Student Tips
Research safety
It is important to use reliable sources so that you can put together correct information about your topic.
Websites ending with .com, .org, and .net can be purchased and used by any person. Be careful when using these websites, and ask yourself if these websites are credible or have bias. The ending .org is usually used by non-profit organizations, which may have an agenda of persuasion rather than education.
Websites ending in .edu are reserved for colleges and universities. Canadian websites have a .ca ending. It is important to consider using credible Canadian websites for research when possible!
Press the following tabs to access safety devices that utilize sound.
Earplugs are useful to protect the ear from loud noises. They cover the ear canal so that sound vibrations are not able to travel down them and into the eardrum. The earplug creates a tight seal against the ear canal. The earplug usually expands a little, which blocks the ear canal.
A foghorn uses sound to warn vehicles in the water of hazards in the water, such as rocks that are at the top of the water or near the coastline. It can also warn boats of other water vehicles when it is foggy in the area. It can be found on a water vehicle or on the shore.
The foghorn uses air vibrations to create a sound. It travels over water, and because of the moist air, it can be heard far away.
A siren is a device that makes a loud noise. They are used to warn people of a problem. They can be found in a fixed location on a pole, where the sound can be heard at a distance, or on an emergency vehicle, to warn people that they need to move out of the way.
Some sirens are powered mechanically, and some are electronic. Mechanical sirens create sound by rotating a drum inside the device. The faster the drum rotates, the higher the sound it creates. An electronic siren can be plugged into a source of power and work that way.
Did You Know?
Horns save lives
Did you know that horns save lives? One of the most dangerous weather conditions, especially for ships and boats, is fog. Low-lying clouds can prevent sailors and captains from seeing dangerous shorelines, which can lead to boats crashing into rocks and cliffs. Along with the invention of lighthouses that cast strong beams of light out to sea, foghorns were also invented. These horns let out sounds to warn ships and boats that there are rocky coastlines or other boats in the area. Foghorns provide a sound that means danger is ahead.
Robert Foulis, a Canadian inventor and civil engineer who was born in Scotland and lived in New Brunswick, was the first to invent the automated foghorn.
While working at the Partridge Island lighthouse in New Brunswick, Robert Foulis read about the sinking of the SS Arctic in the newspaper. Foulis was inspired to come up with a better way to warn ships during foggy weather. While his daughter was playing the piano on a foggy night, Foulis noticed that the low notes could be heard more clearly than high pitched notes, so he created a horn that produced a low frequency sound.
Synesthesia
Synesthesia is a phenomenon where people experience music in shapes and colours. Synesthesia affects 4 percent of the global population (who are known as “synesthetes”). There are up to 70 different subtypes, and some examples include sounds producing colour, letters and numbers associated with specific colours, or certain words associated with specific tastes. However, the most common versions involve colour.
Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian painter and art theorist that is well known for his visual interpretations of music and sound. He used the properties of sound when creating visual art.
For example, the pitch of a sound is used in different ways to create art. Markings are made flat to indicate the same pitch, and diagonal markings indicate a downward change in pitch. The high or low pitch is represented with colour, lighter colours for higher pitch and darker for lower pitch. Lastly, the drawing/markings are placed in a specific spot on the piece of art, depending on the pitch.
Explore some pieces of artwork created using synesthesia!
Several Circles by Wassily Kandinsky, 1926
Eras of Jazz: The Visual by Reyes Padilla, 2019
At Last by Melissa McCracken, 2015
What properties of sound can be used when creating artwork? Explain how the property of sound influences the artwork.
Consolidation
Think about it!
Let’s begin by revisiting the R-A-N Chart from the Minds On section of this learning activity. This time, focus on the three sections that you did not fill out before.
- What was confirmed – go back to the first section of your chart and record ideas that were confirmed (accurate/true) about what you already knew about sound.
- Misconceptions – record any information that you thought was true at the beginning, but learned was incorrect, or not quite as you had thought.
- New learning – record new information that you learned about sound, and hopefully answer any of your wonderings.
Complete the RAN Chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
| What I think I know | What I wonder | What was confirmed | Misconceptions | New learning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access RAN Chart.
Demonstrate your learning
Using one of the options from the choices provided, or in another method of your choice, educate your classmates on the properties of sound.
Your presentation must include:
Presentation possibilities include:
- write a poem or song
- create a poster or infographic in print or digitally
- write a presentation or slideshow
- create a piece of art with a written or audio explanation
- create flashcards or a study guide
- create a blog post or a podcast episode
Reflection
As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel…
Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.