Maren plays two test tones on her phone, one after the other. The second one sounds higher.
The two tones are plain beeps, alike in every way except one: the frequency of the sound wave. This lesson names what that one difference does to what you hear.
Maren's first tone has a frequency of 400 Hz. Her second tone has a frequency of 800 Hz.
The 800 Hz tone sounds higher than the 400 Hz tone.
How high or low a sound seems to a listener is called the sound's pitch.
The 800 Hz tone has the higher pitch, and the 400 Hz tone has the lower pitch.
Decreasing the frequency causes the pitch to fall.
Frequency sets the pitch.
A violin's A string vibrates at 440 Hz, and its E string vibrates at 660 Hz. Which string's note has the higher pitch?
Increasing the frequency causes the pitch to rise.
660 Hz is a greater frequency than 440 Hz.
The 660 Hz string's note has the higher pitch.
A truck's backup beeper drops from 1000 Hz to 700 Hz as its battery runs low. What happens to the beeper's pitch?
Decreasing the frequency causes the pitch to fall.
The frequency dropped from 1000 Hz to 700 Hz.
The beeper's pitch falls.
Two tones differ only in frequency: one at 300 Hz, one at 600 Hz. Which has the higher pitch?
A smoke alarm's chirp rises from 2000 Hz to 3000 Hz. What happens to the chirp's pitch?
Pim says: 'A 90 Hz hum has a lower pitch than a 180 Hz hum.' Is Pim correct?
Four test tones differ only in frequency: 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 750 Hz, and 1000 Hz. Which has the highest pitch?
Noll slows a ceiling fan, and its steady hum falls in pitch. What happened to the frequency of the hum's sound wave?
A mosquito's wings beat at about 600 Hz, and a bumblebee's wings beat at about 130 Hz. Each insect's sound has its wingbeat frequency. Which statement is correct?