Ultrasound or ultrasonic waves are the sounds with frequency above 20000 Hz. However, humans cannot hear or produce ultrasound but animals like dolphins, bats and porpoises can produce it. Also, moths can hear ultrasound produced by bats, which helps them to escape from capture of bat.
Application of ultrasound
It has many application like cleaning purposes, in detection of cracks, echocardiography, ultrasonography, to break kidney stones and many more.
Applications of Ultrasound
- Cleaning purposes: Ultrasound is used in cleaning purposes for the cases where parts of object are away from the human reach. Object is placed in cleaning solution. A high frequency ultrasound waves are passed through it. This in combination of cleaning solution clears all the dirt on surface of the parts of object, thereby, leaving the object clean. Particularly,this technique is used in cleaning jewellery, watches, surgical instruments, etc.
- In detection of cracks: Ultrasound is used to detect cracks in metal blocks on the construction site. In this case, waves are passed through the structure. If there is presence of even a small defect, ultrasound waves strikes at the defect and reflects back. These reflected waves are detected by receiver, thereby indicating the presence of defect.
- Echocardiography: Ultrasound waves are passed from various parts of heart. When these waves are reflected back, it helps in the formation of image of heart.
- Ultrasonography: Ultrasonography is a technique used to detect abnormalities in body organs and is carried out using the device called ultrasound scanner. In this case, ultrasonic waves are generated from the device and are allowed to pass through tissue of the organs. If there is presence of abnormality, these waves gets reflects back and thus, generates electrical signals. This allows to take image of defective region in the body. This technique is used by doctors to detect abnormalities in liver, stomach, kidneys, uterus. It is also used in examining baby during pregnancy. Thus helping doctors to understand the health of the baby, check the growth and detect abnormalities.
- To break kidney stones: By passing ultrasound, kidney stones can be break into very fine particles. These fine particles are then thrown out of the body through urine.
This article is helpful for Class 9 Science
Keywords: Application of ultrasound, Crack Detection, Echocardiography, Ultrasonography, Breaking of kidney stones.
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