1. Mechanical Vibration: When the tuning fork is struck with a rubber mallet or another object, it starts vibrating. The prongs of the tuning fork move back and forth rapidly, creating mechanical vibrations.
2. Compression and Rarefaction: As the tuning fork prongs move outward, they push the air molecules in front of them, causing them to become more densely packed. This creates a region of higher pressure, known as a compression. As the prongs move inward, they create a region of lower pressure, called a rarefaction.
3. Sound Wave Propagation: The alternating compressions and rarefactions generated by the tuning fork create sound waves. These waves travel through the air as a series of pressure variations, similar to ripples on the surface of a pond.
4. Movement of Air Molecules: As the sound waves propagate, they cause air molecules to vibrate back and forth in the same direction as the wave's movement. This results in the transfer of energy through the air, allowing the sound to travel.
5. Frequency and Pitch: The frequency of the sound wave corresponds to the number of vibrations produced by the tuning fork per second. High-frequency sound waves are perceived as high-pitched sounds, while low-frequency sound waves are perceived as low-pitched sounds.
The vibrating tuning fork acts as a sound source, generating a continuous sound wave until the vibrations cease. This sound wave propagates through the air, allowing us to hear the characteristic tone of the tuning fork.