Sound has been defined as a series of disturbances in a matter
that the human ear can detect. This definition can also be applied to disturbances
that are beyond the range of human hearing.
There are three
elements that are necessary for the transmission and reception of sound. These
are the source, a medium for carrying the sound, and the detector.
Anything which moves back and forth, or vibrates, and
disturbs the medium around it may be considered a sound source.
An example of the production and transmission of sound is
the ring of a bell. When the bell is struck and begins to vibrate, the
particles of the medium, or the surrounding air, in contact with the bell also
vibrate.
The vibrational disturbance is transmitted from one particle
of the medium to the next, and the vibrations travel in a “wave” through the
medium until they reach the ear.
The eardrum, acting as a detector, is set in motion by the
vibrating particles of air and the brain interprets the eardrum’s vibrations
as the characteristic sound associated with a bell.
