Applied Speech Science

Question 0

Normal range of frequencies humans can hear?

Answer 0

20-20000hz

Question 1

What is the advantage of using db scale rather than pressure or intensity

Answer 1

Small and manageable range of units

Matches how humans perceive loudness of scale

Question 2

Range of sound intensities in db

Answer 2

0-140

Question 3

What zero db mean

Answer 3

Equivalent to normal threshold of human hearing

Question 4

Amplitude of a sound

Answer 4

Amount of change in air pressure produce by a sound source

Question 5

In periodic sound waves what is the period

Answer 5

Time it takes for air particles to complete regular displacement pattern and the time it takes for single cycle of pressure to change to complete

Question 6

Fundamental frequency is associated with what part of human speech production system?

Answer 6

Laryngeal system: voicing of the larynx

Question 7

Where are harmonics of speech created ?

Answer 7

Laryngeal system

Question 8

Horizontal and vertical axis of a spectrum and what does a spectrum measure

Answer 8

H: frequency hz
V: amplitude
Measures amplitude of frequency components across a range of frequencies for a particular time slice of a sound wave

Question 9

What is the vertical and horizontal axis of a time amplitude waveform and what does it measure ?

Answer 9

H: time
V:amplitude
Measures sound pressure level of original sound travelling through the air
On prat a positive value indicates compression.. High air pressure
Negative value indicates rarefaction… Low air pressure

Question 10

Distinguish the difference between simple and complex sound waves

Answer 10

Simple sound waves consist of only one frequency: pure tone can only be created electronically
Complex sound waves: more than one frequency/periodic or a periodic

Question 11

Periodic sound waves vs aperiodic sound waves

Answer 11

Periodic: regular or repeating pattern oscillating and vibrating at a very regular rate
Aperiodic sounds: produced by mechanical sources that have no regular or oscillating movements eg sound from radio

Question 12

What is the relationship between physical scales such as amplitude and psychological scales such as loudness

Answer 12

As physical dimension increases more change is needed in the physical dimension to bring about a psychological change

Question 13

What is frequency And it’s psychological correlate?

Answer 13

Frequency is the number of oscillations or cycles in a given unit or time units are measured in hz
In praat measurement occurs by calculations the cycle duration of a periodic sound
Psychological dimension: pitch

Question 14

Sound intensity and psychological correlate

Answer 14

Sone psych scale for loudness- loudness progresses more slowly than sound intensity

Question 15

Db sound for
Conversation
Loud rock music
Whispering

Answer 15

Conversation: 60db
Loud rock music: 120db
Whispering:30db