AQA · Physics · 8463
GCSE Physics: Loudspeakers
Magnetism and electromagnetism · AQA GCSE Physics (8463), specification point 4.7.2.4. Cards are generated from the exam board's own specification for "Loudspeakers", and every card links back to the page it came from. Higher tier only. Separate science only. Specification © AQA — used with attribution.
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Which effect do loudspeakers and headphones use to produce sound?
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The motor effect — a current-carrying coil in a magnetic field experiences a force.
What does a loudspeaker convert variations in electrical current into?
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Pressure variations in the air, i.e. sound waves.
Loudspeakers use the ? effect to turn variations in current into sound waves.
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motor
What happens to the coil in a moving-coil loudspeaker when current flows through it?
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It experiences a force (motor effect) because it sits in a permanent magnet's field, so the coil and attached cone move.
Why must the current supplied to a loudspeaker coil be alternating?
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Reversing the current reverses the force on the coil, so the cone moves back and forth (vibrates) rather than just deflecting once.
What determines the frequency of the sound a loudspeaker produces?
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The frequency of the alternating current in the coil — the cone vibrates at the same frequency.
Which part of a moving-coil loudspeaker creates the pressure variations in the air?
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The cone (diaphragm) attached to the coil — its vibration compresses and rarefies the air.
What determines the loudness of sound from a moving-coil loudspeaker?
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The amplitude of the current — a larger current gives a larger force, so the cone vibrates with greater amplitude.
How do headphones produce sound?
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Like a small moving-coil loudspeaker: alternating current in a coil in a magnetic field makes a diaphragm vibrate, producing sound waves.
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