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You can think of it this way: your ear responds to frequency, not wavelength. If you put out the same note, then since the frequency is the same but the sound is travelling faster, then the wavelength must have increased.

2006-08-13 18:27:24 · answer #1 · answered by Benjamin N 4 · 0 0

Think about a string as an analogy. The velocity of sound depends on temperature, pressure, and air density. The velocity of a wave on a string depends on the tension and density of the string. So if you connect two strings together of different densities (tension would have to be the same if they are connected), the speed of the wave is different on each string. Now secure one end and wiggle the other. If you wiggle one with a certain frequency, when the wave reaches the interface (where the strings are tied together), of course the end of the second string has to wiggle with the same frequency since they are connected. Since that end wiggles with the same frequency, the wave that gets transmitted across the interface must have the same frequency as the first. Since the velocities are different, the wavelengths therefore must be different.

Now sound is not quite the same since you are dealing with a pressure wave. But imagine two regions of air with different temperatures. A sound wave in one region hits the second region with a certain frequency. Just like a wave on a string, the pressure waves hit the "interface" of the two regions with a certain frequency, well this frequency has to be constant over the interface for the same reason as it has to be in the string. (Like if there was a door separating the different regions, it'd be like a knock on the door. The frequency of the knock has to stay constant). Since the velocities are different, the wavelengths must change.

Interestingly, light waves do the same thing. When light passes through different materials (like air to water), the speed of light slows down or speeds up depending on the two materials (never going faster than the speed of light in vaccuum). The frequency stays the same, the wavelength changes. Since the wavelength changes, the light also bends (refracts) as it is transmitted through the interface, and some of it even gets reflected. This refracting and reflecting also happens with sound and strings (well, 1D strings down refract obviously, but you would see a reflection if you do what I described above).

Now, one more thing. I explained why frequency is constant based on intuitive things (that are correct). But you probably know of something else that is constant in a physical system as well: the Energy. For light, E = hf, where h is Planck's constant, and one can make equations relating frequency to energy in the other systems as well. What it comes down to is that frequency is constant because the energy is conserved. So I could have answered your question in one sentence, but then no would have learned anything.

2006-08-13 19:07:18 · answer #2 · answered by Davon 2 · 0 0

Frequency and wavelength are not two separate features but are directly linked. The higher a frequency, the shorter the wavelength and vice versa.

2006-08-13 20:43:32 · answer #3 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 0 0

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2016-11-24 23:57:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

generally speaking, increased temprature will slow down the transmission of sound. sound waves travel faster in matter that is denser, increased heat almost always decreases density.

2006-08-13 20:17:11 · answer #5 · answered by John S 2 · 0 0

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