Changing the pitch of sounds | Science | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

Which of the following produce sounds?
- a person speaking ✓
- an untouched pillow on a bed
- a person jumping in a puddle ✓
How do our ears help us to hear sounds?
- They are near the sound so they just hear it.
- Our ear drum vibrates allowing us to hear sounds. ✓
- Our ear lobes vibrate so that we can hear sounds.
How do sounds travel through different mediums such as liquids, solids and gases?
- We carry the sounds attached to our ears.
- Vibrations travel in sound waves. ✓
- Sounds push through tiny holes in different mediums.
How can using a sound sensor help people to understand noise pollution?
- It can help to monitor how loud an environment is and make it safer. ✓
- It can help people to learn to measure in decibels.
- It can help people to know what different sounds are.
The ______ away a sound is, the quieter it will be heard.
- 'further' ✓
Which of the following materials are good sound insulators for a bedroom?
- metal
- wool ✓
- cardboard ✓

Exit quiz

What does pitch tell us about a sound?
- how high or low the sound is ✓
- how loud or quiet the sound is
- how far the sound travels
How can scientists measure pitch?
- using a sound sensor to detect pitch ✓
- using their ears to detect pitch
- using a tape measure to measure pitch
- using a stop watch to measure pitch
Scientists look for ______ in results to tell them how one thing affects another thing.
- 'patterns' ✓
What happens to the pitch of a straw if you cut it shorter and blow over the top?
- it creates a lower pitch
- it creates a higher pitch ✓
- it stays the same pitch
What is the unit of measurement for pitch?
- 'hertz' ✓
Which statement below do you agree with?
- Thunder produces a low pitched sound. ✓
- A flute can only produced low pitched sounds.
- The sound made by a squeaky door does not have a pitch.

Worksheet

Presentation

Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

Pitch describes how low or high a sound is, and can be measured using a sound meter to detect pitch.
The unit for measuring pitch is hertz (Hz).
Scientists look for patterns in sets of results to tell them how one thing affects another thing.
Changing the length of the vibrating object can affect the pitch of the sound it produces.

Common misconception

Children may think that the volume of sound and the pitch of sound is the same thing, or that high sounds are loud and low sounds are quiet.

It is important to expose children to a wide range of high and low pitched sounds. Continue to make the distinction between volume and pitch throughout this lesson.

Keywords

Pitch - Pitch is a measure of how high or how low a sound is.
Pattern - A pattern is a series of data that repeats in a recognisable way.
Affect - Affect is the change that occurs between two things that we can observe.
Results - The results of a test or enquiry is what happened or what was found out.
Vibrating - Vibrating is when an object moves very fast from side to side.