CLASS-9 SCIENCE EXTRA QUESTIONS

Chapter 12 - Sound

MCQ QUESTIONS

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Note is a sound

(a) of mixture of several frequencies

(b) of mixture of two frequencies only

(c) of a single frequency

(d) always unpleasant to listen

2. A key of a mechanical piano struck gently and then struck again but much harder this
time. In the second case

(a) sound will be louder but pitch will not be different

(b) sound will be louder and pitch will also be higher

(c) sound will be louder but pitch will be lower

(d) both loudness and pitch will remain unaffected

3. In SONAR, we use

(a) ultrasonic waves

(b) infrasonic waves

(c) radio waves

(d) audible sound waves

4. Sound travels in air if

(a) particles of medium travel from one place to another

(b) there is no moisture in the atmosphere

(c) disturbance moves

(d) both particles as well as disturbance travel from one place to another.

5. When we change feeble sound to loud sound we increase its

(a) frequency (b) amplitude

(c) velocity(d) wavelength

6. In the curve (Fig.12.1) half the wavelength is

(a) A B (b) B D

(c) D E(d) A E

7. Earthquake produces which kind of sound before the main shock wave begins

(a) ultrasound

(b) infrasound

(c) audible sound

(d) none of the above

8. Infrasound can be heard by

(a) dog(b) bat

(c) rhinoceros

(d) human beings

9. Before playing the orchestra in a musical concert, a sitarist tries to adjust the tension
and pluck the string suitably. By doing so, he is adjusting

(a) intensity of sound only

(b) amplitude of sound only

(c) frequency of the sitar string with the frequency of other musical instruments

(d) loudness of sound

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ANSWERS

1. (c) 2. (a) 3. (a) 4. (c) 5. (b) 6. (b) 7. (b) 8. (c) 9. (c)

Q.1. State Laws of Reflection of Sound (2)

Ans: According to the law of reflection of sound:

• The incident wave, the reflected wave and the normal lie in the same plane.
• The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

Q.2. Harry standing 440 m away from a wall fired a gun and heard its echo 2 s
later. How is an echo formed? Calculate the velocity of sound in air.
(2)

Ans: Echo is formed due to the reflection of sound from a rigid surface
under certain conditions.

Distance, D = 440 m

Time, t = 2 s

Using the formula

2D
v=
t
440m
v = 2´
2s
= 440 m / s
Q.3. Why and how is reverberation removed in an auditorium or a big hall?
(2)
Ans: For proper hearing, reverberation needs to be removed or reduced in an auditorium
or a big hall.
To achieve this, the walls and ceilings of such halls are usually covered with sound
absorbent materials like compressed fireboards, draperies or rough plaster.

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Q.4. We hear thunder sound a few seconds after the flash is seen
even though they occur simultaneously. Why? (2)

Ans: Sound travels a million times slower than light in air.

Speed of sound in air = 346 m/s

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Velocity of light in air = 3x10 m/s

Therefore, thunder sound is heard a few seconds after the flash is seen.

Q.5. Find the distance travelled by a sound wave of frequency 20

KHz, wavelength 1.7 cm in 10 s. (3)

Ans: Frequency = 20 KHz = 20 ¥ 1000 Hz

1.7
Wavelength = 1.7 cm = m
100
Time taken = 10 s
Velocity = frequecy ¥ wavelength
\ v = n¥ l
20 ¥ 1000 ¥ 1.7
fi v= m/s
100
fi v = 340 m / s

Now,
Distance = speed ¥ time
D = v¥ t
\ D = ( 340 ¥ 10)m
fi D = 3400 m
fi D = 3.4 km

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Q.6. Are the particles of the medium dragged along with the wave
as sound wave propagates through the medium? In which
medium—solid, liquid or gas, does the sound wave travel fastest?
(3)

Ans: No, the particles of the medium (material particles) are not dragged
along with the wave. The particles of the medium simply oscillate about
their mean positions at their fixed locations. And the disturbance is handed
over from one particle to the next particle in contact.

Sound travels fastest in solid.

Q.7. Define time period of sound wave. What is its SI unit? How is
it related with frequency? (3)

Ans: The time taken by sound wave to complete one oscillation in a

medium is known as time period.

The SI unit of time period is second (s).

Time period is the reciprocal of frequency.

Q.8. How does sound reaches our ears? (3)

Ans: Sound moves through a medium (solid, liquid or gas) from the source to the
listener. A particle of the medium that is in immediate contact with the vibrating object is
first displaced from its equilibrium position. It then exerts a force on the adjacent particle
which in turn results in displacement of its adjacent particle from its position of rest and
so on. This process continues in the medium till the sound reaches our ears.

Q.9. What will happen to the loudness of a sound wave if its

amplitude is doubled? Name a unit of sound. Is loudness affected
by change in frequency? (3)

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Ans: The loudness of sound is proportional to the square of the amplitude
of the vibration of the sound wave. Therefore, the new sound will be four
times louder than the original one.

The loudness is expressed in decibel (dB).

No, loudness of a sound will not be affected by change in its frequency

even though its pitch will change.

Q.10. Define frequency of a sound wave. What is its SI unit and

how is it related to pitch? What is the frequency of the wave shown
below? (3)
Wave Disturbance

Time

t=1 second

Ans: The number of complete periodic oscillations of a sound wave per unit
time is called the frequency of the sound wave.

The SI unit of frequency is hertz (Hz). Higher the frequency of a sound

wave, higher is its pitch and vice-versa.

Number of complete oscillations in one second = 4.

Frequency of the wave = 4 Hz.

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Q.11. How do sound waves propagate? (3)

Ans: When a vibrating object moves forward, it compresses the air in front
of it creating a region of high pressure called compression. When it moves
backwards, it creates a region of low pressure called rarefaction. As the
object moves back and forth rapidly, a series of compressions and
rarefactions is created in air which constitutes sound waves. Thus, sound
waves propagate as longitudinal waves.

Q.12. What are the conditions for an echo to be heard? (5)

Ans: The conditions that have to be satisfied to hear an echo are as

follows:
• The distance between the source of sound and the reflector should be at least 17.2
m.
• The size of the obstacle/reflector must be large compared to the wavelength of the
incident sound.
• The intensity or loudness of sound should be sufficient for the reflected sound
reaching the ear to be audible.
• The original sound should be of short duration.
• The time interval between the original sound and the reflected sound should be at
least 0.1 s.

Q.13. Discuss SONAR. (5)

Ans: SONAR is the abbreviation for “Sound Navigation And Ranging”.

It is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate or

to detect underwater objects such as submerged submarine, a sunken
ship, iceberg, etc.

It consists of a detector and a transmitter. The ultrasonic waves produced

by the transmitter kept in the ship are directed towards the ocean
floor. These waves when reflected by the object and the ocean floor are

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detected by the detector. The depth of the object can be calculated using
time interval between the generation of the wave and reception of its echo
and the speed of sound in water.

Transmitter Detecto
r

d d

Speed of sound=v
Time interval between transmission and reception of ultrasound signal = t
Therefore, 2d =v x t.
But the detector and the transmitter are placed very close to each other.
So, Depth=d=(v x t)/2.