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Physics Classroom: Sound is a Pressure Wave
written by Tom Henderson
This interactive resource is the third of a 3-part tutorial on the nature of sound waves, developed for introductory physics courses. Words, images and animation are combined to clarify why sound can be characterized as a pressure wave. It goes into detail to describe how compressions in a longitudinal wave are high pressure regions, while rarefactions are low pressure regions.

This tutorial is part of The Physics Classroom website.
Editor's Note: This tutorial addresses a difficulty commonly encountered by students of introductory physics: Why is sound considered a "pressure wave" and what does this mean? The tutorial does a nice job of clarifying the relationship between longitudinal wave motion and pressure/time fluctuations as a sound wave travels through a medium.
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-1/Sound-is-a-P...
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Oscillations & Waves
- Wave Motion
= Longitudinal Pulses and Waves
= Wave Properties of Sound
- High School
- Lower Undergraduate
- Instructional Material
= Tutorial
Appropriate Courses Categories Ratings
- Physical Science
- Physics First
- Conceptual Physics
- Algebra-based Physics
- AP Physics
- Activity
- New teachers
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Intended User:
Learner
Formats:
text/html
image/gif
Access Rights:
Free access
Restriction:
© 2001 Tom Henderson
No derivatives; commercial use prohibited.
Keyword:
mechanical waves
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created March 11, 2011 by Tom Henderson
Record Updated:
January 29, 2018 by Caroline Hall
Last Update
when Cataloged:
January 15, 2018

Next Generation Science Standards

Disciplinary Core Ideas (K-12)

Wave Properties (PS4.A)
  • A sound wave needs a medium through which it is transmitted. (6-8)

Crosscutting Concepts (K-12)

Energy and Matter (2-12)
  • Within a natural or designed system, the transfer of energy drives the motion and/or cycling of matter. (6-8)
  • Energy drives the cycling of matter within and between systems. (9-12)
ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!

Record Link
AIP Format
T. Henderson, (2001), WWW Document, (https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-1/Sound-is-a-Pressure-Wave).
AJP/PRST-PER
T. Henderson, Physics Classroom: Sound is a Pressure Wave (2001), <https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-1/Sound-is-a-Pressure-Wave>.
APA Format
Henderson, T. (2018, January 15). Physics Classroom: Sound is a Pressure Wave. Retrieved October 9, 2024, from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-1/Sound-is-a-Pressure-Wave
Chicago Format
Henderson, Tom. Physics Classroom: Sound is a Pressure Wave. January 15, 2018. https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-1/Sound-is-a-Pressure-Wave (accessed 9 October 2024).
MLA Format
Henderson, Tom. Physics Classroom: Sound is a Pressure Wave. 2001. 15 Jan. 2018. 9 Oct. 2024 <https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-1/Sound-is-a-Pressure-Wave>.
BibTeX Export Format
@misc{ Author = "Tom Henderson", Title = {Physics Classroom: Sound is a Pressure Wave}, Volume = {2024}, Number = {9 October 2024}, Month = {January 15, 2018}, Year = {2001} }
Refer Export Format

%A Tom Henderson %T Physics Classroom: Sound is a Pressure Wave %D January 15, 2018 %U https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-1/Sound-is-a-Pressure-Wave %O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %A Henderson, Tom %D January 15, 2018 %T Physics Classroom: Sound is a Pressure Wave %V 2024 %N 9 October 2024 %8 January 15, 2018 %9 text/html %U https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-1/Sound-is-a-Pressure-Wave


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Citation Source Information

The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

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