Reflecting Sounds
Science: KS3, topic 3.3.11
Reflecting Sounds
Sound can be reflected as it bounces off different surfaces. We call this an echo.
Echoes
- An echo is a reflection of sound.
- Reverberations are many echoes.
- Carpets and acoustic foam can soundproof walls and reduce echoes.
- Sound reflects better off hard, smooth surfaces.
Measuring the speed of sound
- Sound travels at 340 m/s in air.
- We can time how long it takes to hear an echo.
- We can then use the time taken to work out the distance:
- Distance (m) = speed (340 m/s) × time (s)
Test yourself on Reflecting Sounds
What is a reverberation?
Which of these materials would best reduce echoes in a room?
In the time between when you make a sound and when you hear the echo, how far has the sound wave travelled?
Select the correct statement in each pair
Why does a tiled floor produce more echo than a carpeted floor?