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What Is Sound? Video

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What is sound? Sound is a form of energy, just like electricity and light. Sound is made when air molecules vibrate and move in a pattern called waves, or sound waves. Think of when you clap your hands, or when you slam the car door shut. That action produces soundwaves, which travel to your ears and then to your brain, which says, "I recognize that sound."

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National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Celebrating 20 years of research: 1988 to 2008