Sound - Sound Properties Flashcards
1
Q
frequency (or wavelength)
A
- determines the “pitch” or “note” of the sound we hear. A low frequency creates a low note, while a high frequency creates a high note. The lowest note (most) humans can hear is around 20 Hz, while the highest note is around 20000 Hz. However, as people age, they start to lose the high end of their hearing. Older adults can only hear up to around 16000 Hz.
2
Q
amplitude
A
- The loudness of a sound is determined by its Amplitude. The bigger the amplitude of the sound wave, the louder it will sound. It also depends on the frequency. Our hearing loses sensitivity as it nears the upper end (20000 Hz) or lower end (20 Hz); near those limits, even a sound wave with a big amplitude will sound quiet to us.
