Vibrations
When an object moves back and forth quickly, it vibrates. These vibrations push air, creating sound waves that travel to your ears.
Travelling sound
Sound needs something to travel through — air, water, or even solid walls. In outer space there's no air, so there's no sound!
Your ears
Sound waves enter your ear, make your eardrum vibrate, and your brain reads those vibrations as sound.
🔑 Key Terms
- Vibration
- Quick back-and-forth movement.
- Sound wave
- The way sound travels through air or other materials.
- Eardrum
- A thin part inside your ear that vibrates when sound hits it.
Did you know?
Sound travels about 4 times faster in water than in air — that's why whales can hear each other from kilometres away!
Try it at home: Feel the vibrations
- Gently place your fingers on your throat.
- Hum a tune.
- Feel the buzzing? That's your vocal cords vibrating to make sound!