Reflection of Sound Waves (Cambridge O Level Physics)

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Echoes

  • Sound waves reflect off hard surfaces
    • The reflection of a sound wave is called an echo
  • Echo sounding can be used to measure depth or to detect objects underwater
    • A sound wave can be transmitted from the surface of the water
    • The sound wave is reflected off the bottom of the ocean
  • The time it takes for the sound wave to return is used to calculate the depth of the water
    • This is the distance to the ocean floor plus the distance for the wave to return
    • The distance the wave travels is twice the depth of the ocean

Ship using Radar

Echo Sounding, downloadable IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

Echo sounding is used to determine water depth

Investigating the Reflection of Sound Waves

Using Echoes to Measure the Speed of Sound

sound-method-2, IGCSE & GCSE Physics revision notes

Measuring the speed of sound using echoes

  1. A person stands about 50 m away from a wall (or cliff) using a trundle wheel to measure this distance
  2. The person claps two wooden blocks together and listens for the echo
  3. A second person has a stopwatch and starts timing when they hear one of the claps and stops timing when they hear the echo
  4. The process is then repeated 20 times and an average time calculated
  5. The distance travelled by the sound between each clap and echo will be (2 × 50) m
  6. The speed of sound can be calculated from this distance and the time using the equation:

speed space of space sound space equals space fraction numerator 2 cross times distance space to space wall over denominator time space taken end fraction

v equals fraction numerator space 2 d over denominator t end fraction

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Leander

Author: Leander

Expertise: Physics

Leander graduated with First-class honours in Science and Education from Sheffield Hallam University. She won the prestigious Lord Robert Winston Solomon Lipson Prize in recognition of her dedication to science and teaching excellence. After teaching and tutoring both science and maths students, Leander now brings this passion for helping young people reach their potential to her work at SME.