Sound and Vibrations

Grade 1 · Science · Study Guide

Discover how sounds are made by vibrations and how we hear them.

Sound is all around us. We hear birds singing, cars honking, and people talking every day. But how is sound made?

Sound is made by vibrations. A vibration is when something moves back and forth very quickly. When you pluck a guitar string, it vibrates. Those vibrations move through the air as sound waves and reach your ears.

You can feel vibrations too. Put your hand gently on your throat while you hum. You can feel the vibrations! Your vocal cords vibrate to make your voice.

Sound travels through air, but it can also travel through water and solid objects. If you put your ear on a table and someone taps the other end, you can hear the tap through the table.

Sounds can be loud or soft. A loud sound has big vibrations. A soft sound has small vibrations. Sounds can also be high or low. A tiny bell makes a high sound. A big drum makes a low sound.

We use our ears to hear sounds. The outer part of your ear catches sound waves and sends them inside your ear so your brain can understand what you are hearing.

Key terms

sound: Something you can hear that is made by vibrations
vibration: A fast back-and-forth movement that creates sound
sound wave: The way vibrations travel through air or other materials to your ears
volume: How loud or soft a sound is
pitch: How high or low a sound is
vocal cords: Parts in your throat that vibrate to make your voice

Flashcards

Sound: Energy that travels as waves and can be heard
Vibration: A fast back-and-forth movement that makes sound
Pitch: How high or low a sound is
Volume: How loud or soft a sound is
Sound wave: Vibrations moving through air or another material
Vocal cords: Parts of your throat that vibrate to create your voice
Ear: The body part that collects sound waves so we can hear

Questions

What causes sound?
1. Light
2. Vibrations
3. Color
4. Temperature
Show answer
Answer: Vibrations
Sound is caused by vibrations — objects moving back and forth quickly.
Sound can travel through water.
Show answer
Answer: True
Sound waves can travel through air, water, and solid objects.
How high or low a sound is called its ________.
Show answer
Answer: pitch
Pitch describes how high or low a sound is. A whistle has a high pitch; a drum has a low pitch.
Which of these makes a high-pitched sound?
1. A big drum
2. A large bell
3. A tiny bell
4. A heavy box
Show answer
Answer: A tiny bell
Smaller objects vibrate faster and make higher-pitched sounds. A tiny bell has a high pitch.
Loud sounds have bigger vibrations than soft sounds.
Show answer
Answer: True
Louder sounds are made by bigger, stronger vibrations.

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