Ultrasonic propagation, in materials

The objectives of this chapter are to introduce the basic concepts of ultrasonic propagation in materials, to describe some of the most important methods for measuring and interpreting ultrasonic measurements, and to outline existing and possible applications of the technique in the food industry. 

Relationships can either be established in an empirical fashion, or by using theories which describe ultrasonic propagation in materials (see section 4). To utilize the full potential of ultrasound for characterizing food materials it is important to choose the most suitable method of carrying out the measurements and to carefully analyze the data. Many applications have failed in the past because workers have used poorly designed experiments or have interpreted measurements in an inappropriate manner. 

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