Physics 3100: Sounds of Music

Fall 2001

Lecture: 8:30-9:25 MWF, Room 1109, Science Hall

Lab 1: 10:40-12:30 W, Room 115, Physics Building

Lab 2: 12:50-14:40 W, Room 115, Physics Building

Lab 3: 12:50-14:40 F, Room 115, Physics Building

Lab 4: 15:00-16:50 T, Room 115, Physics Building

This is a 4 credit course. This course is an introduction to the physical basis for the production, propagation, and perception of sound with special emphasis on musical sounds. The course introduces the physics of vibrations and waves. The physical and psychological aspects of sound perception are surveyed. The anatomy of the vocal system and the mechanics of speech production are covered. The physics and unique properties of all the families of musical instruments are studied. The electronic reproduction of sound is also introduced. Students will also do laboratory experiments studying the basics of acoustics.

3 Exams or 2 Exams and 1 Paper(54%)

There will be two exams during the term and one as the first part of the final exam. One five page paper can be written on a topic agreed upon with the instructor instead of taking one of the three exams. The paper is due on the day of the exam that it will replace.

Laboratory(25%)

Ten two hour labs are scheduled. Grades are based on written lab reports that are turned in at the start of the next scheduled lab.

Final Exam(21%)

The final is Friday 14 December at 8:00. A comprehensive exam is the second part of the final exam.

Reading Summaries

There are 36 lectures with reading after the first class. Turning in a summary of the reading will be worth 0.75 points, and a good one will be worth 1.5 points. Reading summaries are due at the start of each lecture. Late reading summaries will not be accepted. These points are not simply additions to the total, but reduce the weight of the other requirements. For example if 50 points were earned in Reading Summaries then the contributions would be Reading Summaries 50%, Exams and Paper 27%, Labs 12.5%, and Final 11.5%.

Problems

Each lecture is associated with some problems from the book. These are not required, but highly recommended. Solutions appear by following the links below.

Day by Day in Class

Date	Topic	Chapters	Problems	Lab
5 Sep	Introduction	1	Example Reading Summary	-
7 Sep	Physical Quantities, Laws of Motion	2	2.4, 2.7, 2.10, 2.15, 2.17	-
10 Sep	Work, Energy, Power, Intensity	3	3.1, 3.5, 3.8, 3.13, 3.17, 3.20	-
12 Sep	Cancelled	-	-	-
14 Sep	Simple Vibrations	4	4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.11, 4.14, 4.23, 4.26	-
17 Sep	Resonance, Compound Vibrators	4-5	4.16, 4.29, 5.1, 5.5, 5.11, 5.12	1 Simple Vibrating Systems
19 Sep	Waves, Instrumentation	6-7	6.8, 6.10, 6.12, 6.14, 6.17, 6.22, 7.3, 7.5	1 Simple Vibrating Systems
21 Sep	Instrumentation, Reflection, Refraction	7-8	7.8, 7.11, 7.11, 8.1, 8.3	1 Simple Vibrating Systems
24 Sep	Diffraction, Doppler Effect, Interference	8-9	8.5, 9.3, 9.5, 9.8, 9.14, 9.16	2 Oscilloscope
26 Sep	Standing Waves	10	10.1, 10.5, 10.6, 10.8, 10.13, 10.18, 10.20	2 Oscilloscope
28 Sep	Complex Waves	11	11.5, 11.6, 11.8, 11.11, 11.15, 11.22	2 Oscilloscope
1 Oct	Review and Sound Level and Radiation	12	12.1, 12.3, 12.9, 12.11, 12.17, 12.21, 12.29	3 Properties of Waves
3 Oct	Exam I (1-11)	-	Example Exam	3 Properties of Waves
5 Oct	The Ear	13	13.9, 13.15, 13.16, 13.17, 13.18, 13.21	3 Properties of Waves
8 Oct	Sound Perception I	14	14.1, 14.4, 14.6, 14.10, 14.17, 14.24, 14.25, 14.27	4 Beats, Tuning, and Pitch
10 Oct	Sound Perception II	15	15.1, 15.8, 15.12	4 Beats, Tuning, and Pitch
12 Oct	Scales and Harmony	16	16.12, 16.14	4 Beats, Tuning, and Pitch
15 Oct	Hearing Hazards and Noise	17-18	17.1, 17.3, 18.1	5 Standing Waves I
17 Oct	Listening Environment	19	19.1, 19.4, 19.8	5 Standing Waves I
19 Oct	Room Acoustics	20	20.1, 20.6, 20.16	5 Standing Waves I
22 Oct	Auditorium Design	21-22	21.2, 21.4, 21.7, 21.12, 21.13, 21.14	6 Standing Waves II
24 Oct	Speech I	23	23.2, 23.4, 23.12	6 Standing Waves II
26 Oct	Speech II	24-25	24.1, 24.4, 24.11, 24.17	6 Standing Waves II
29 Oct	Speech III	25-26	-	7 Sound Levels
31 Oct	Mechanical Speech	28-29	28.1, 28.4, 28.5, 29.1	7 Sound Levels
2 Nov	Singing	30	-	7 Sound Levels
5 Nov	Review	-	-	-
7 Nov	Exam II(12-30)	-	Example Exam	-
9 Nov	Musical Tones	31	-	-
12 Nov	Mechanical Reed Instruments	32	32.1, 32.9	8 Ear Sensitivity
14 Nov	Lip Reed Instruments	33	33.1, 33.4	8 Ear Sensitivity
16 Nov	Air Reed Instruments	34	34.8, 34.12	8 Ear Sensitivity
19 Nov	Pipe Organ	35	-	-
21 Nov	Bowed String Instruments	36	36.2, 36.9	-
26 Nov	Plucked String Instruments	37	37.9	10 Musical Intervals
28 Nov	Struck String Instruments	38	-	10 Musical Intervals
30 Nov	Percussion Instruments	39	-	10 Musical Intervals
3 Dec	Electronic Instruments	40-41	-	9 Instrument Sounds
5 Dec	Sound Reproduction	43	-	9 Instrument Sounds
7 Dec	Recording Media	44	-	9 Instrument Sounds
10 Dec	Acoustic Transducers	46	-	Makeup
12 Dec	Review	-	-	Makeup
14 Dec	Exam 3 (31-46), Final (1-30)	-	Example Exam	Makeup
Date	Topic	Reading	Problems	Lab