How are sound waves produced when whispering?

Sound waves are produced when whispering by the movement of air as the vocal cords vibrate. In whispering, the vocal cords are held tightly together, allowing air to pass through them with minimal vibration, creating a soft sound. This airflow generates pressure variations in the surrounding air, which travel as sound waves. The resulting sound is characterized by its quieter volume and higher frequency compared to normal speech due to the limited use of vocal cord vibration.