The Science and Applications of Acoustics

This textbook treats the broad range of modern acoustics, from the basics of wave propagation in solids and fluids to applications such as noise control and cancellation, underwater acoustics, music and music synthesis, sonoluminescence, and medical diagnostics with ultrasound. The discussion begins with a historical overview; it then turns to a derivation of the wave equation from fundamental equations of motion for fluids and for solids; and it discusses solutions of the equation for sound waves in the open air and in such bounded media as strings, bars, membranes, and pipes; sound filters and electrical analogs for sound propagation are also treated. A chapter on measurement techniques provides a comprehensive survey of the means of evaluating sound levels and frequency content of signals. A section on the physiology of hearing and psychoacoustics includes recent findings on how the human ear functions. The remainder of the book deals with a wide variety of applications, including architectural acoustics; enclosures and barriers; noise codes and regulations, and methods of noise control; underwater acoustics; ultrasonics; control of vibrations; and music, musical instruments, and reproduction of music. Intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in science or engineering, the text can also serve as a valuable reference for acousticians, engineers, scientists, architects, medical researchers, and musicians. The treatment assumes that the reader has a thorough knowledge of mathematics through elementary partial differential equations and university-level physics. Virtually every chapter includes examples and problems.