Sound and Wave Motion

PART-A Unit-I: General Science

Previous Year Questions (PYQ) for this topic

Every TNPSC question asked from this topic, compiled as a PDF. · PDF 2.6 MB

Acoustics - Important Notes - PYQ Points

1. Sound Intensity and Units

  • Decibel (dB): A unit used to measure sound intensity.
  • Auditory Sensitivity: The primary reason for expressing the unit of a sound amplifier in decibels is the human ear’s sensitivity to sound.

2. Speed and Propagation of Sound

  • Effect of Medium: Sound travels fastest in solids. In particular, sound propagates at a very high speed in steel.
  • Adiabatic Process: The propagation of sound through a medium was considered an adiabatic process by Laplace (without heat exchange).

3. Types of Sound

Type Description
Audible Range From 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Infrasonic Mechanical waves with frequencies below the audible range (less than 20 Hz).

4. Electronics & Signals

  • Television Broadcasting: In television transmission, the sound signal is modulated using Frequency Modulation (FM).
  • Amplifier and Oscillator: Conditions required for an amplifier to function as an oscillator:
    1. The amplifier must have positive feedback.
    2. According

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