Question

Are metals sonorous?
(A) Yes
(B) No
(C) Maybe
(D) None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: If you could just figure out what could be the meaning of the word sonorous, you will be able to answer this question easily. You can relate it with Sonar to figure out the meaning.

Complete step by step answer:
> Sonorous - Sonorous means, metals make a ringing sound when we strike them.
Due to very low electronegativity, electron bonding in metals is highly delocalized. When we hit, the electron cloud moves easily and the dissipation of energy is less. So that produces the kinetic energy required to produce sound.
> Metals have high elasticity. Sound requires elasticity for high speed propagation. Generally, wavelengths of many "modes" of oscillations are in centimetres; these sounds can easily have audible frequencies. Many metals are used in musical instruments to exploit their sonority property.
> You can do one experiment to understand what we mean. Take a string and pluck it. Then pull on it and pluck it. Then pull harder and harder as much as you can progressively. You'll start hearing sounds as you make it tighter. This is because making it tighter increases the velocity thus making the frequency in audible range.
Therefore, the correct answer for this question is option A.

Note: Now we could also think, do nonmetals have this property?
The answer would be No. As They are poor conductors of heat and electricity. They do not possess metallic luster.Non-metals also don't possess malleability and ductility.