Sound is made when an object vibrates. These vibrations create pressure waves that cause the particles of the surrounding medium—such as air, water, or solids—to vibrate as well. This vibration of particles propagates through the medium as sound waves, which travel until they reach a receiver like the human ear. The ear detects these vibrating particles, causing parts of the ear to vibrate and enabling us to perceive sound. In summary:
- An object vibrates.
- The vibration causes nearby particles in a medium to vibrate.
- Vibrations travel as sound waves through the medium.
- When sound waves reach the ear, they cause the eardrum to vibrate, allowing us to hear the sound.
This propagation of vibrations through the medium is what makes sound.
