How do drum sound waves travel?

A drum produces what is called a beat. A beat is the superposition of two separate waves with different frequencies. Thus when they are superimposed there is a difference in the frequency which corresponds to the frequency of the beat. read more

The same way any other sound wave travels, at least in music. It doesn’t really matter what is the source of the sound(a drum or a trumpet). read more

Just like light, sound travels in waves caused by air molecules that vibrate. If a drum is banged the air molecules around the drum vibrate, and these vibrations cause air molecules slightly further away to shake in turn. The process repeats until the vibrations lessen and the sounds begin to dissipate. read more

If you want to learn more about how sea waves travel, read our article on surfing science. Artwork: Sound waves and ocean waves compared. Top: Sound waves are longitudinal waves: the air moves back and forth along the same line as the wave travels, making alternate patterns of compressions and rarefactions. read more