Fundamentals of Acoustics

by Austin R. Frey, Lawrence E. Kinsler, Alan B. Coppens

Book Overview

A clear treatment of the fundamental principles underlying the generation, transmission, and reception of acoustic waves and their application to numerous fields. Analyzes the various types of vibration of solid bodies and the propagation of sound waves through fluid media. The third edition features discussions of antiresonance concert hall acoustics, detection theory, canonical equations, normal mode propagation in the ocean, and environmental acoustics...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471029335
• ISBN13: 9780471029335
• Release Date: January 1982
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Good book on the mathematics of acoustics for engineers

This book is aimed squarely at engineering students who want to learn the mathematics of acoustics. There is very little in the realm of standing back and asking "So what does this all mean?". From the very first chapter the author dives into deriving equations that use calculus, Laplace transforms, the Fourier series and transform, circuit analysis, digital filters, and the Z- transform as well as some differential equations. There are few examples in the book, but there are problem sets that expect you to understand the theory and math well enough to apply it numerically with more intuitive knowledge than is presented. It can be done, but you'll have to read carefully when doing the exercises to figure out how to get from A to B. If you are interested in acoustics this is probably an essential reference pertaining to the mathematical aspects of the science, but you'll need other books to get the big picture. I'd recommend the old Schaum's Outline of Acoustics by Seto as a companion to this book since it has lots of examples. Unfortunately, it is out of print and you'll probably have to hunt for it.

An excellent textbook

This is a classic engineering text on acoustics for upper division college students. It first appeared in 1950. And now it is back fifty years later in a fourth edition. In the meantime, the original two authors have passed away. However, Coppens and Sanders have done a fine job in keeping the book up-to-date. Plenty of exercises have been added, and answers to many odd-numbered problems are in the back of the book. I think it is an excellent introduction to the field (yes, I expect you to have studied calculus and differential equations as an underclassman). It's my favorite of the classic engineering acoustics textbooks. Two new chapters have been added in this edition, one on nonlinear acoustics and the other on shock waves. That's a very good idea. If I were teaching an acoustics class with an earlier edition of the book, I'd refer students to Landau Volume 6 (Fluid Mechanics) to get some of this missing information. Actually, I wish the authors had added a couple more chapters, one on ultrasonics and another on instruments of music. That still would not cover all of acoustics, but I feel these topics are fairly important. Anyway, I really like the book, and I'd be happy to teach a class using it.

Solid Introductory Text Book

If you are interested in a solid introduction to the science of sound, then this is your book. Kinsler and Frey is not an advanced text, nor a reference manual for research scientists. It is simply a classic introduction to the physical principles of acoustics geared toward upper level undergraduates or graduate students.

Fendamentals Of Acoustics...

This Book Is A Classic...It Goes In Depth Into The Principals Of Acoustics, Physics, And Sound Propogation...A Long And Thorough Look Into The World Of Why We Hear Certain Things...A Little Too Much For The Weak Minded, This Book Is Pretty Hardcore...

Textbook for upper-level or graduate course in acoustics

This is a classic: it is frequently cited, even so long after publication. Be sure to check the binding: early printings were notorious for falling apart within weeks.