Sound is a form of energy that we can hear and perceive through our ears. It is produced when an object vibrates, creating pressure waves in the surrounding medium, which are then detected by our ears. These pressure waves, known as sound waves, consist of compressions and rarefactions that propagate through the air or other materials.

For example, imagine plucking a guitar string. As the string vibrates back and forth, it creates compressions and rarefactions in the air around it, which travel as sound waves. Our ears detect these waves and our brain interprets them as sound, allowing us to hear the musical notes produced by the guitar.

Sound waves have several key properties. One of these properties is frequency, which refers to the number of complete oscillations or cycles a sound wave completes in one second. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz), with higher frequencies corresponding to higher-pitched sounds and lower frequencies corresponding to lower-pitched sounds.

Another property of sound waves is wavelength, which is the distance between two consecutive points of similar vibration in a sound wave. Wavelength is inversely related to frequency, meaning that as frequency increases, wavelength decreases, and vice versa. This relationship is expressed mathematically as the speed of sound, which is the product of frequency and wavelength.

Lastly, the amplitude of a sound wave refers to the maximum displacement of particles in the medium from their rest position. Amplitude determines the volume or loudness of a sound, with greater amplitudes resulting in louder sounds and smaller amplitudes resulting in softer sounds.