What is Sound and What is Noise?

Sound is a form of energy that is transmitted by pressure variations which the human ear can detect. When one plays a musical instrument, say a guitar, the vibrating chords set air particles into vibration and generate pressure waves in the air. A person nearby may then hear the sound of the guitar when the pressure waves are perceived by the ear. Sound can also travel through other media, such as water or steel.

Apart from musical instruments, sound can be produced by many other sources - man's vocal cord, a running engine, a vibrating loudspeaker diaphragm, an operating machine tool, and so on. Click on the demo buttons and you will hear the noise from different sources.

[Animation of common sources of sound]

Noise is unwanted sound. Usually the sound of a violin is referred to as music - is something pleasing. Depending on other factors, the sound may be perceived as noise.

Noise perception is subjective. Factors such as the magnitude, characteristics, duration, and time of occurrence may affect one's subjective impression of the noise.