What Is Sound?

Think of all the different sound you’ve heard today.

When an object vibrates, or moves back and forth very fast, it makes sound.

Place your fingers gently against the middle of your throat Place your fingers gently against the middle of your throat. Now, say a word. What do you feel?

Vibration causes sound to travel through air, water, and even through metal or rock.

When you hit a drum, the top of the drum vibrates.

All the squeezing and stretching of the air in the drum makes the air bump into other air that is a little farther away, making a sound wave.

Some vibrations are faster than others.

The highness or lowness of a sound is called its pitch.

Sounds made by vibrations can be loud or soft Sounds made by vibrations can be loud or soft. The loudness or softness of a sound is called its volume.

When a tiny bird sings, its throat vibrates very fast When a tiny bird sings, its throat vibrates very fast. When an owl hoots, its throat vibrates more slowly than the tiny bird’s does. When you hear these sounds, which one sounds higher? Why?