Sound Design Waves And Sound 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the term for the number of complete wave cycles that pass a fixed point per second?
- Amplitude
- Wavelength
- Frequency (Correct answer)
- Phase
Correct answer: Frequency
Frequency, measured in Hertz (Hz), counts how many complete cycles occur per second at a given point.
Question 2: How does sound energy behave as it spreads outward from a point source in free space?
- Intensity remains constant
- Intensity doubles with distance
- Intensity follows the inverse square law (Correct answer)
- Intensity increases linearly with distance
Correct answer: Intensity follows the inverse square law
Sound intensity from a point source decreases by the inverse square of distance — doubling the distance reduces intensity to one quarter.
Question 3: Which waveform contains only odd-numbered harmonics, giving it a hollow, woody timbre?
- Sine wave
- Sawtooth wave
- Square wave (Correct answer)
- Triangle wave
Correct answer: Square wave
A square wave contains only odd harmonics (1st, 3rd, 5th…), which produces its characteristic hollow tone used to emulate clarinets.
Question 4: What is the fundamental frequency of a vibrating string that also produces partials at 440 Hz, 660 Hz, and 880 Hz?
- 220 Hz (Correct answer)
- 440 Hz
- 110 Hz
- 880 Hz
Correct answer: 220 Hz
The partials 440, 660, and 880 Hz are the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th harmonics, meaning the fundamental (1st harmonic) is 220 Hz.
Question 5: Diffraction of sound refers to which phenomenon?
- Sound bouncing off a hard surface
- Sound bending around obstacles or through openings (Correct answer)
- Sound speeding up in denser media
- Sound losing energy due to absorption
Correct answer: Sound bending around obstacles or through openings
Diffraction is the bending of sound waves around edges or through gaps, which is why you can hear sound around corners.
Question 6: A sound wave with a period of 0.002 seconds has a frequency of:
- 200 Hz
- 500 Hz (Correct answer)
- 2000 Hz
- 50 Hz
Correct answer: 500 Hz
Frequency equals 1 divided by the period: 1 / 0.002 = 500 Hz.
Question 7: Which acoustic term describes the gradual decay of sound energy in an enclosed space after the source stops?
- Reflection
- Reverberation (Correct answer)
- Resonance
- Refraction
Correct answer: Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound in a space after the original sound source stops, caused by multiple reflections.
Sound Design Waves And Sound 3
What is the term for the number of complete wave cycles that pass a fixed point per second?