Ääniäallon

An ääniäallon is a Finnish term that translates to "sound wave" in English. It refers to a disturbance that propagates through a medium, such as air, water, or solids, as a result of mechanical vibrations. These vibrations cause the particles of the medium to oscillate back and forth around their equilibrium positions. As these oscillations occur, they create regions of compression, where particles are crowded together, and rarefaction, where particles are spread apart.

The propagation of sound waves is a mechanical process, meaning it requires a medium to travel. Sound cannot travel through a vacuum. The speed at which a sound wave travels depends on the properties of the medium, such as its density and elasticity. For example, sound travels faster in denser and more elastic materials. The frequency of a sound wave determines its pitch, with higher frequencies corresponding to higher pitches. The amplitude of a sound wave relates to its loudness, with larger amplitudes indicating louder sounds. Humans can typically hear sound waves within a specific frequency range, known as the audible spectrum.