Sound
Section A – Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)
1. Sound is produced by:
a) Vibrating objects
b) Stationary objects
c) Both a and b
d) None of the above
2. The unit of frequency is:
a) Decibel
b) Hertz
c) Meter
d) Second
3. Sound cannot travel through:
a) Solids
b) Liquids
c) Gases
d) Vacuum
4. The speed of sound is maximum in:
a) Air
b) Water
c) Steel
d) Vacuum
5. The range of hearing for humans is:
a) 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
b) 10 Hz to 10,000 Hz
c) 50 Hz to 50,000 Hz
d) 100 Hz to 100,000 Hz
6. The loudness of sound is measured in:
a) Hertz
b) Decibel
c) Meter
d) Second
7. Which part of the human ear vibrates when sound enters it?
a) Eardrum
b) Cochlea
c) Pinna
d) Auditory nerve
8. The frequency of a sound wave determines its:
a) Loudness
b) Pitch
c) Amplitude
d) Wavelength
9. Ultrasound has a frequency:
a) Below 20 Hz
b) Above 20,000 Hz
c) Between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz
d) None of the above
10. The persistence of sound in a big hall due to repeated reflections is called:
a) Echo
b) Reverberation
c) Amplification
d) Refraction
11. The time taken for one complete oscillation is called:
a) Frequency
b) Amplitude
c) Time period
d) Wavelength
12. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of sound?
a) Pitch
b) Loudness
c) Quality
d) Brightness
13. The part of the ear that collects sound waves is:
a) Eardrum
b) Cochlea
c) Pinna
d) Auditory nerve
14. The speed of sound in air at 20°C is approximately:
a) 330 m/s
b) 343 m/s
c) 500 m/s
d) 1000 m/s
15. The phenomenon of sound being heard after reflection is called:
a) Reverberation
b) Echo
c) Refraction
d) Diffraction
16. The amplitude of a sound wave determines its:
a) Pitch
b) Loudness
c) Frequency
d) Wavelength
17. Which of the following is NOT a medium for sound propagation?
a) Solid
b) Liquid
c) Gas
d) Vacuum
18. The frequency of a sound wave is inversely proportional to its:
a) Amplitude
b) Time period
c) Wavelength
d) Loudness
19. The sound of a baby’s cry is an example of:
a) High pitch and high loudness
b) Low pitch and low loudness
c) High pitch and low loudness
d) Low pitch and high loudness
20. The sound produced by a drum is an example of:
a) Musical sound
b) Noise
c) Echo
d) Reverberation
Section B – Very Short Answer Type Questions (2 marks each)
21. Define frequency and state its unit.
22. Why is sound unable to travel through a vacuum?
23. Name two factors on which the loudness of sound depends.
24. What is the difference between noise and music?
25. What is the function of the eardrum in the human ear?
26. What is an echo? State the minimum distance required to hear an echo.
Section C – Short Answer Type Questions (3 marks each)
27. Explain how sound is produced by humans.
28. Describe the structure of the human ear with a labeled diagram.
29. How does the amplitude of a sound wave affect its loudness?
30. What is reverberation? How can it be reduced in a hall?
31. Explain the working of a stethoscope with a diagram.
32. Why is the sound produced by a school bell audible even at a distance?
33. What is ultrasound? Mention two applications of ultrasound.
Section D – Long Answer Type Questions (5 marks each)
34. Explain the propagation of sound in different media (solids, liquids, and gases). Why
does sound travel fastest in solids?
35. Describe an experiment to show that sound requires a medium to travel.
36. Explain the characteristics of sound with examples.
Section E – Case-Based Questions (4 marks each)
Case Study 1:
A group of students conducted an experiment to study the properties of sound. They used a
tuning fork, a glass of water, and a rubber pad. They struck the tuning fork and placed it near
the glass of water. They observed ripples in the water.
37. What does the formation of ripples in water indicate? (1 mark)
38. Why did the students use a rubber pad while striking the tuning fork? (1 mark)
39. Explain how this experiment demonstrates the production of sound. (2 marks)
Answer Key
Section A
1. a) Vibrating objects
2. b) Hertz
3. d) Vacuum
4. c) Steel
5. a) 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
6. b) Decibel
7. a) Eardrum
8. b) Pitch
9. b) Above 20,000 Hz
10. b) Reverberation
11. c) Time period
12. d) Brightness
13. c) Pinna
14. b) 343 m/s
15. b) Echo
16. b) Loudness
17. d) Vacuum
18. b) Time period
19. a) High pitch and high loudness
20. a) Musical sound
Section B
21. Frequency is the number of oscillations per second. Its unit is Hertz (Hz).
22. Sound requires a medium to travel. A vacuum has no particles to vibrate and propagate
sound.
23. The loudness of sound depends on:
Amplitude of the sound wave
Distance from the source
24. Noise is an unpleasant sound, while music is a pleasant sound with a regular pattern.
25. The eardrum vibrates when sound waves strike it, transmitting the vibrations to the
inner ear.
26. An echo is the reflection of sound. The minimum distance required to hear an echo is
17.2 meters.
Section C
27. Sound is produced in humans by the vibration of vocal cords in the larynx.
28. The human ear consists of three parts:
Outer ear (Pinna and ear canal)
Middle ear (Eardrum and ossicles)
Inner ear (Cochlea and auditory nerve)
29. Loudness is directly proportional to the amplitude of the sound wave. Higher amplitude
means louder sound.
30. Reverberation is the persistence of sound due to repeated reflections. It can be reduced
by using sound-absorbing materials.
31. A stethoscope amplifies sound by transmitting vibrations from the chest piece to the
ears via tubes.
32. Sound waves travel through air and are audible due to their energy and frequency.
33. Ultrasound is sound with a frequency above 20,000 Hz. Applications include medical
imaging and cleaning.
Section D
34. Sound travels fastest in solids due to closely packed particles, followed by liquids and
gases.
35. Experiment: Place a ringing alarm clock inside a bell jar and gradually remove the air. The
sound becomes fainter as the medium is removed.
36. Characteristics of sound:
Pitch (determined by frequency)
Loudness (determined by amplitude)
Quality (determined by waveform)
Section E
37. The ripples indicate that sound is a form of energy that causes vibrations.
38. The rubber pad prevents damping of the tuning fork's vibrations.
39. The experiment shows that sound is produced by vibrations, as the tuning fork's
vibrations create ripples in water.
This test paper is designed to assess students' understanding of the chapter "Sound"
comprehensively.
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