Year 4 science · B.2 · Waves and information
Sound and vibrations
All sounds start with something shaking or vibrating. That shake sends out waves through air, which our ears detect as sound.
See worked examples
Lena hears a bell ring from across the playground. What moves through the air to carry the sound?
- wind
- vibrations (right)
- water droplets
Ines wonders: A classmate hits a piano key. What starts when the key is pressed?
- The room gets dark
- The string vibrates (right)
- The music stops
When Omar taps a drum, the drum makes a noise because
- the drum gets cold
- air pushes into it
- the drum vibrates (right)
Tip: All sounds start with something shaking or vibrating. That shake sends out waves through air, which our ears detect as sound.
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