2 Sound

2.1 How are sounds made?

We are going to...
• Investigate how sounds are made by vibrating sources
• Practice observing, pattern seeking and fair testing
• plan a fair test to investigate how well sounds travel through different materials
and identify the independent, dependent and control variables
• make predictions using science knowledge and describe the accuracy
of predictions, based on results
• choose equipment to carry out an investigation
• decide when observations and measurements
need to be repeated to give more reliable data
• take appropriately accurate measurements and
collect and record measurements in tables
• describe a pattern in results
• make a conclusion from results making use of
what you know about the particle model

control variable pluck

dependent variable vibrate
independent variable vibration

31
 2 Sound

Getting started
1 What is the source of sound
in this picture?
2 As the aeroplane ies
higher into the air, will
Zara be able to hear it?
3 Copy and this sentence
choose the correct word
to �nish it:
As sound travels further
from a source it becomes
stronger/fainter.
4 Identify sources of sound
in the classroom.

Look at photograph of the bird singing.

We hear the bird song with our ears.
How does sound travel from a source
to our ears? Let’s investigate this.

32
 2.1 How are sounds made?

Think like a scientist 1

Investigate how sounds are made

You will need:

plastic wrap, elastic bands,
rice grains, an empty glass
jar, a metal baking tray,
a wooden spoon, a pencil

• Put the plastic wrap over

the jar. Keep the plastic
wrap in place with an
elastic band.
• Sprinkle a few rice grains
over the plastic wrap.
• Hit the jar with the
pencil. What happens to the rice?
• Hold the tin tray close to the jar and bang it with a spoon.
What happens to the rice?
• Predict what will happen if you clap your hands
next to the jar. Try it out.
• Was your prediction correct?

Sound travels because vibrations travel

Why did the rice grains move? The jar vibrates
Follow the steps 1 to 3 on the drawing. when I hit it

The vibrations travel through

the jar to the plastic wrap

The plastic wrap vibrates. The

rice grains vibrate and move
I can see the rice
grains move

33
 2 Sound

Continued

Questions
1 Did you hear a sound when you hit the jar? Why?
2 Fill in the missing words in these sentences to explain why the rice grains
jumped when you hit the tin tray.

travel vibrations air plastic wrap rice grains vibrates

Use words from this box:

The ______________________ travel from the tin tray to the
______________________. The air ______________________ and makes the
______________________ vibrate. The vibrations ______________________ from
the plastic wrap to the rice grains. We see the ______________________ jump.

How am I doing?
Did this investigation help to convince you that sound travels
from a source in vibrations?
Choose from one of these faces: or or

Vibrations cause sounds

Sounds are made when things
vibrate. A vibration is a very quick
movement back and forth. You often
cannot see vibrations, but you can
feel them. Hold your hand on your
throat and hum a tune. You will feel
the vibrations and hear the sound.

You can see these guitar strings

vibrate when you pluck them.

34
 2.1 How are sounds made?

How well does sound travel through

different materials?
You have seen that sound vibrations can travel through air and glass and
plastic wrap. Does sound travel better through some materials than through
others? Let’s find out.

Think like a scientist 2

Investigate how well sound travels through different materials

For this investigation you need to choose a source of sound. It could be a buzzer,
a bell or a ticking clock. The source of sound will be the same throughout your
investigation. This is your control variable.
You will test how well sound travels through four or five different materials. One
will be air (which is a gas). At least one will be a liquid and at least one will be
a solid. These are the things that you change. We call the things you change the
independent variables.

Work with a partner. One of you can make the sound. The other partner
can listen to how loud the sound is through the different materials. The
loudness of the sound is called the dependent variable. This is the variable
that you are going to measure. Your measurements will be different and
dependent on which material you listen through.
• Plan a fair test to �nd out how well the sound travels through
different materials between the source of sound and your ear.
• Predict how well sound will travel through each material you have chosen.
• Draw a table like the one shown here.

35
 2 Sound

Continued

• Decide whether the sound is quiet, loud or very loud through the different
materials. In the table record how well you heard the sound.
Show how loud the sound was each time by using ticks:
ü = quiet üü = loud üüü = very loud
• Repeat your test on each material to get more accurate results.

Material sound travelled through Loudness of sound

Brief not suplied

please advise what Brief not
text is meant to go suplied please advise
here what text is meant
to go here
Questions
1 Identify your control variable. How did you keep this the same
throughout the investigation?
2 Identify your dependent variable and independent variables.
3 How did you make the investigation a fair test?
4 Which material did you hear the sound best through?
Was this what you predicted?
5 Describe a pattern in your results.
6 Discuss in class the reason for the pattern you see.

How am I doing?
Answer ‘Yes’, ‘I’m not confident yet’ or ‘I need more practice’ to these questions:
• Can I identify the control, dependent and independent variables?
• Can I plan and carry out a fair test?
• Can I record results in a table?

36
 2.1 How are sounds made?

Did the activities in this topic help you to

understand how sound travels?

Look what I can do!

I can see how sounds are made by vibrating sources.
I can practice observing, pattern seeking and fair testing.
I can make predictions using science knowledge and decide whether
predictions were correct or not.
I can plan a fair test and identify the dependent, independent and
control variables.
I can choose suitable materials to test.
I can record measurements in a table.
I can decide when observations and measurements need to be repeated
to give more reliable data.
I can identify a pattern in results and use knowledge about the particle
model to conclude that sound travels best through solids.

37
 2 Sound

2.2 Volume and pitch

We are going to...
• describe sounds in terms of high or low pitch and loud or quiet volume
• make predictions based on science knowledge and describe the
accuracy of predictions, based on results
• plan a fair test and identify the control, independent and
dependent variables
• take accurate measurements
• repeat measurements for more accurate results decibel (dB)
• present results in a bar graph or table high-pitched
low-pitched

Getting started sound level meter

volume
These young people are singing.
Describe with a friend how the sounds they make are different.

38
 2.2 Volume and pitch

Volume
The volume of a sound is how loud or quiet it is.
A sound is louder when the vibrations are bigger.
A decibel (dB) is the unit we use to measure sound.
These are the volumes of some everyday sounds.
Very loud sounds (louder than 85dB) can damage our ears.

Measuring sound volume

We can measure the volume of sound with a sound level meter.
The meter measures the volume in decibels.

Think like a scientist

Measuring sounds

You will need:

a sound level meter and ways to make different sounds such as
clapping hands, blowing a whistle, slamming a door, the class talking

• Predict which sound will be loudest and which will be quietest.

• Plan how you will measure the sounds. How will you make sure the test is fair?
• Plan how you will record the sounds. Will you use a table or a bar chart?
• Carry out the investigation. Use the sound meter to record each sound.
• Record your results in the type of table or chart that you chose.

39
 2 Sound

Continued

Questions
1 Which sound was loudest? The class talking
2 Which sound was quietest? blowing a whistle
The sources of
3 Were your predictions correct? sound.
4 What was the independent variable in this activity? Explain why.
The distance between the sound level
5 What was the main control variable? meter and the source of sound.
6 Identify the dependent variables.
The volume of the sound.
7 If the singers in the image at the start of this topic sing quietly, how will the
vibrations change?
The vibrations become smaller
8 Explain why some sounds are loud and other sounds are quiet.
A sound is louder when the vibrations are bigger.
Pitch
Pitch describes how high or low the sound is. For example, a whistle
makes a high-pitched sound. Thunder makes a low-pitched sound.
Slow vibrations produce a lower-pitched sound.
Fast vibrations produce a higher-pitched sound.
Some sounds have such a high pitch or such a low pitch that
we humans cannot hear them. Here are two examples.
Elephants use very low-pitched sounds that we cannot hear.
But other elephants can hear these sounds up to 7.5 kilometres away.
Bats use very high-pitched
sounds that we
cannot hear.

40
 2.2 Volume and pitch

Activity

Sound vibrations
You have seen that elephants use very low-pitched sounds
that we cannot hear and that bats use very high-pitched
sounds that we cannot hear.
Do some research. Find out which other animals make
very high-pitched or very low-pitched sounds we
cannot hear. Share your findings in class.

Questions
1 What type of vibrations cause:
a a low-pitched sound? Slow vibration
b a loud sound? Big vibration
2 If the singers in the image at the start of this topic have to sing
higher notes, how will the vibrations change? The vibrations will become faster.
3 Some of the singers make loud, low-pitched sounds.
Describe the vibrations these sounds make. Big, slow vibrations.

What do I need to practise more?

Look what I can do!

I can describe sounds in terms of high or low pitch and loud or quiet volume.
I can make predictions based on science knowledge and describe the
accuracy of predictions, based on results.
I can plan a fair test to measure different sounds and identify
the control, independent and dependent variables.
I can measure sound volume with a sound level meter.
I can repeat measurements for more accurate results.
I can present results in a table or a bar chart.

41
 2 Sound

2.3 Changing the volume of sound

We are going to...
• investigate how to change the volume of sounds
• plan a fair test to identify the independent, dependent and control variables
• choose equipment to carry out an investigation
• decide when observations and measurements need to be repeated
to give more reliable data
• make predictions and describe how accurate predictions were
• take appropriately accurate measurements and record measurements
in tables
• make a conclusion from results using scientific knowledge

Getting started
Look at the picture.
4 Do you think the sound is loud or quiet?
5 What makes the sound louder?

microphone amplifier
loudspeaker muffle
ear defenders silencer

42
 2.3 Changing the volume of sound

How can we make sound louder?

In the picture, the singer sings into a microphone. The microphone
is connected to an amplifier. The amplifier makes the sound louder.
The amplifier is connected to the loudspeaker. The sound comes
out through the loudspeaker. The microphone, the amplifier and
the loudspeaker make a sound system. This makes the sound
produced by the singer louder. We use sound systems to make
lots of things louder: CD players and televisions, for example.
Now look at a simpler way of making a sound louder.

Think like a scientist 1

Listen to a sound through a tube

You will need:

a long cardboard tube (at least 50 cm), a source of sound such as
a small alarm clock

Look at the pictures. Copy what the children in the pictures are doing.

Please advised what

text is to go here.

Please advised what

text is to go here.
Questions
1 Identify the control variable. Explain why it is the control variable. the source of sound.
2 Identify the independent variable. Explain why it is the independent variable.
3 Identify the dependent variable. Explain why it is the dependent variable.

2.the distance between the clock and the girl's ear.

3.The volume of sound. 43
 4.Quieter.The vibrations had to travel further through the air from the source
of sound to our ear.

2 Sound
5. Yes. The vibrations were contained in the tube and could
not escape to the surrounding air.
Continued

4 Was the sound of the clock louder or quieter when

you moved the clock further from your ear? Write a
sentence to explain why. Use the words ‘vibrations’,
‘travel’ and ‘air’ in your sentence.
5 Was the sound louder through the tube? Why do you
think this happened?
6 Look at the picture. This is the oldest type of music
player, with no electronic parts. How do you think
the music was made louder?

6.The funnel contains the sound vibrations from the

source.Activity

Plan a fair test

• Work in pairs. Think of a question about loud and quiet sounds.
• Plan a fair test to �nd the answer to your question using everyday materials.
• In your plan, list the materials you would use and the steps you would take.
• Explain how you would make it a fair test.
• Suggest how you could present your results.
• Carry out the test and make a conclusion using your knowledge about sound.

Making sounds quieter

Sometimes there is far too much noise. For example, lots of traffic, people
sounding horns, loud sounds from construction work and road repairs.
Sometimes people near you play music at very high volume. These are
examples of noise pollution. Noise pollution has a negative effect on our
environment.
What can we do about this? The best solution is to reduce the volume of noise.
But if we can’t do this we can muffle sounds that we don’t want to hear. This
means that we make the sounds quieter.

44
 2.3 Changing the volume of sound

Ways to muffle sound

Loud sounds can hurt our ears. Some people work
in very noisy places. They need to protect their ears.
They wear ear defenders. Ear defenders muffle sound.
What is the source of sound in this picture?
In buildings we use carpets and curtains to muffle
noise. Sometimes the spaces between walls are filled
with materials that don’t let noise through. Look at
the photograph at the beginning of this topic.
Workers are covering the walls with material to
muffle the sound.
We fit silencers to cars, trucks and motorbike to
muffle the sounds of their engines.

45
 2 Sound

Think like a scientist 2

Find out which material muf�es sound best

You will need:

different muffling materials such as newspaper, bubble wrap, a blanket;
a source of sound; a shoe box with lid; a sound level meter (if available).

• Predict which material will muf e sound the best.

• Place the sound source in the box. Pack one of the
materials around the sound source in the box.
Then place the lid on the box.
• Stand about one metre away
from the box and listen to
the sound. Is the sound
loud or quiet?
• If you have a sound
level meter, measure
the sound volume and
record it.
• Repeat the activity with the other materials.
• Present your results in a table.
Questions
1 Identify the control variable. Explain why it is the control variable.
2 Identify the independent variable. Explain why it is the independent variable.
3 Identify the dependent variable. Explain why it is the dependent variable.
4 Which material muf ed sound the best? Why do you think so?
5 Which material muf ed sound the worst? Why do you think so?
6 Was your prediction correct?
7 Is this investigation a fair test? Explain why or why not.
8 Have a class discussion about noise pollution in your community.

How are we doing?

Are you and your partner more confident in identifying the control,
independent and dependent variables? Or do you still need more practice?

46
 2.3 Changing the volume of sound

Did the activity about muffling sound help me to

think how I can use these ideas at home?

Look what I can do!

I can investigate how to make sound louder and quieter.
I can plan a fair test to I can identify the independent, dependent
and control variables.
I can choose equipment to carry out an investigation.
I can decide when observations and measurements need to be
repeated to give more reliable data.
I can make predictions and describe how accurate predictions were.
I can take accurate measurements and record measurements in tables.
I can make a conclusion from results using scientific knowledge.

47
 2 Sound

2.4 Changing the pitch of sound

We are going to...
• investigate how to change the pitch of sounds
• make predictions and see if our predictions are correct
• describe a pattern in results
• form a conclusion based on scientific loosen stringed instrument
knowledge
tighten tune
wind instrument
Getting started
This boy is playing the violin. He changes the pitch on the strings by pressing them.
Listen to some violin music. Talk to your partner. Tell them when you hear a low
note, and when you hear a high note. Can you and your partner hear the difference?

48
 2.4 Changing the pitch of sound

Stringed instruments pegs

A guitar is a stringed instrument. Some

strings are thicker than others. Stringed
instruments have pegs that you can use
to tune the instrument by making the thick strings

strings looser or tighter. When the guitar

thin strings
is tuned, the pitch gives a perfect sound.
If you listen to music and the instrument
is out of tune the music sounds horrible.
You can also make the strings shorter by
pressing them down. These actions
change the pitch of the notes.

Activity
Make high-pitched and low-pitched sounds on a guitar
• Pluck the thick strings and the thin strings on a guitar.
• Which strings make a higher pitched note?
• Tighten one of the strings by turning the peg.
Now pluck the string. Does the sound have a higher
or a lower pitch than before?
• Loosen the string by turning the peg the other way.
Predict the pitch of the sound when you pluck
the string.
• Now pluck the string. Was your prediction correct?
• Now press the strings down on the neck with the
�ngers of one hand while you pluck the strings with
your other hand.
• How does the pitch change?
Questions
1 Copy and complete these sentences by choosing the correct phrase:
The more tightly stretched the string, the higher-pitched/lower-pitched the note.
The thicker the string, the higher-pitched/lower-pitched the note.
2 Are the vibrations faster or slower when you tighten a string?
3 Are the vibrations faster or slower when you pluck a thinner string?

49
 2 Sound

Have fun with wind instruments

Each of these pictures shows a wind instrument. Some
have one pipe and others have many pipes. People make
music from wind instruments by blowing down or across
the tops of hollow pipes. This makes the air vibrate inside
the pipe to make a sound.
To change the pitch of sound on a wind instrument you
have to block one or more of the holes so that the column
of air inside the pipe is shorter or longer.

50
 2.4 Changing the pitch of sound

Think like a scientist

Make sounds by blowing

You will need:

eight glass bottles of the same size, water and food colouring, a large jug

• Line your bottles up on a table. You are going to make your own
wind instrument and use it to change the pitch of the sound.
• Pour water into the jug and colour it with a few drops of food colouring.
Pour water into each bottle, like in the picture.

• Gently blow across the top of each of the bottles.

• Did you make sounds? Are the sounds from blowing across each of the
three bottles the same pitch?
• Predict what pitch of sounds you will make when you blow across the
other bottles.
• Collect evidence to test your prediction.
Questions
1 Write two sentences to describe the pattern of high and low pitches
and the length of the column of air in the bottle. Use these words in your
sentence: ‘high pitch’, ‘low pitch’, ‘long’, ‘short’.
2 Identify the pattern. Copy and complete this sentence:
The __________________ the level of the water, the longer the column
of air in the bottle and the lower the ________________ of the sound.

51
 2 Sound

Continued

3 Was there a bottle that did not seem to �t this pattern?

Why do you think that was?
4 Make your conclusion. Complete this sentence:
The longer the column of air, the slower the vibrations and
the _________________ the pitch of the sound.
5 Why did we have to use the same size and shape of bottle?

How am I doing?
Demonstrate to a sister or brother or other family member
how to make a sound by blowing across the top of a bottle.
Show them how you can make a sound with a different pitch.

Did the bottle activity help you to learn about changing

the pitch of sound on a wind instrument?
Do you think you will listen to music differently now
that you know about pitch?

Look what I can do!

I can demonstrate on a stringed instrument and a wind instrument
how to change the pitch of sound.
I can make predictions and see if my predictions are correct.
I can describe a pattern in results.
I can form a conclusion based on scientific knowledge.
I can record results on a dot plot?

52
 2.4 Changing the pitch of sound

Project: Noise in my community

5SIC.05 Discuss how the use of science and technology can have positive
and negative environmental effects on their local area.
One of the negative effects of science and technology is loud sounds or
noise. Machinery, traffic and airports all make a lot of noise. This is often
an issue in a community. People get stressed and can’t sleep properly when
there is loud noise.
Work in pairs or a small group. Your task is to find out the sources of noise that
disturb people in your community and to find out if anything is being done to
reduce the noise.
With your partner or group list all the sources of loud noise in your community
that you can think of (for example, traffic, building sites, roadworks, an airport,
factories, tractors).
Draw a table listing these sources of noise.
Interview as many people in your community as you can (at least 20). Ask them
about each source of noise in turn. If the noise disturbs them put a tick on your
table. When you have asked them about all the noise sources on your list ask
the person if there is any other noise that disturbs them. Add this to your list.
Present your results in a dot plot.
Choose two of the sources of noise that disturb people the most. Find out if
anything is being done in the community to reduce this noise level.
Suggest ways that you think
the noise
could be
reduced.
Present your table, dot plot and
information about reducing noise level on two sheets of A4 paper.

53
 2 Sound

Check your progress

1 Write down whether each of these statements is true or false.
a You measure the volume of sound with a loudspeaker.
b You play a guitar by plucking the strings.
c Low sounds are caused by slow vibrations.
d Sound only travels through air.
e Soft materials are better than hard materials for muffling sound.
f Sound travels best through solids.
g Loud sounds are caused by fast vibrations.
2 Look at the pictures of these musical instruments.
A B C

a Which instrument, A, B or C, can you play by:

i plucking?
ii hitting?
iii blowing?
b How can you make a higher-pitched note with instrument B?
c How can you make a higher-pitched note with instrument C?
d What instrument could you use to measure the volume of sound
these instruments make?
e What unit is sound measured in?

54
 Check your progress

Continued
3 Describe each of the following sounds as high, low, quiet or loud:
a a whisper
b a bird singing
c a cow mooing
d an ambulance siren.
4 Zara and Sofia will use this apparatus to investigate how
sound travels through solids, liquids and gases.

a Which container is full of gas? Which contains a solid and which

contains a liquid?
b Identify the control variable, the independent variable and the
dependent variable.
c Why does each container have to be the same size?
d How will they collect their evidence?
e What conclusion will they reach?

55