Question

What is the nature of sound waves?

Answer 1

Learn about the different types of waves. Learn about the properties of each type of wave. There are mainly three types of waves and the properties of them are different from each other. One type carries forward by longitudinal vibration, one type carries forward by transverse vibration and one type is a special type which can only be explained in terms of probability.

Complete answer:
We know that the Wave is something that carries energy or information with it but no material or object is carried in this process. The properties of waves are: It has a direction of propagation, it has some frequency and wavelength and it has some wavelength and also it has amplitude. Now, we know there are mainly three types of waves.First one is the mechanical waves – these types of waves vibrate the particles of the medium to propagate along the medium. This has mainly two types:

Longitudinal waves: particles vibrate along the direction of propagation and the wave needs a medium to propagate. Example- sound waves

Transverse waves: particles vibrate along perpendicular to the direction of propagation and the wave needs a medium to propagate.

Electromagnetic waves: this type of wave does not need any medium to propagate and the vibration of the wave is along the vertical direction means the wave vibrates perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Example-light. (This also falls under the example of transverse mechanical waves)

Matter waves: they are quantum mechanical waves. In quantum mechanics it says that the matter also behaves like particles and particles behave like waves. When matter behaves like waves it is called matter waves. Example- any quantum scale particle like electron, photon (it can only be explained by phenomena like -diffraction of electrons). Now, sound is a wave which propagates by the medium means it is a mechanical wave and the vibration of the particles is along the direction of propagation. That is the reason we can hear sound.

So, sound is a longitudinal mechanical wave.

Note: Since our eardrums is needed to vibrate to hear us some sound the so it must be a mechanical wave which can vibrate the sear drums to be able to hear, and the vibration also has to be in longitudinal direction since the ear drums need to be hit by the waves to vibrate it. Nature is made that way for us.