Sound waves are all around us all the time. Some can be heard by the human ear; some cannot. This informative basic guide to the science of acoustics tells how and why the ear does hear the first. It also tells how and why the ear doesn't hear "silent sound"-ultrasonic waves.

How is ultrasonics used to kill germs? How can an ultrasonic grinding tool grind perfectly without touching the work? What really happens when a guided missile "breaks through" the sound barrier? How can sound waves shatter a wine glass at a distance? Answers to these and other fascinating questions can be found in The First Book of Sound.

Packed with timely photographs and drawings, this book quickly teaches the reader what causes sound-how it behaves. He gets acquainted easily with "sound talk"-pitch, quality, loudness, resonance, reverberation. He also learns about Mach numbers, supersonics, multiple echoes, Sonar and soundproofing.

From the dust jacket