Psychological Characteristics of Sound


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Psychological Characteristics of Sound

Psychological Characteristics of Sound: 

Loudness and Pitch of a sound:  The amplitude of a sound determines its loudness. More the amplitude of vibration, the louder is the sound produced. It can be easily checked by using a drum. If we strike the drum lightly with its stick, we get only a faint sound. However, if we strike the stick with a force, we get a loud sound.

The frequency of a sound determines its shrillness or flatness. The word pitch is used to describe the shrillness or flatness of a sound. A higher pitch (i.e. a higher frequency) means shriller sound while a lower pitch (i.e. a lower frequency) means a flatter sound. Sound travels in the form of waves. When pebble is dropped in pond water it produces ripples in water. The ripple is called wave.

The distance between normal to peak in called amplitude.

Pitch : Pitch is the sensation (brain, interpretation ) of the frequency of an emitted sound and is the characteristics which distinguishes a shrill ( or sharp) sound from a grave (or flat) sound. Faster the vibration of the source, higher is the frequency and higher is the pitch. Similarly low pitch sounds corresponds to low frequency.  A high pitch sound is called a shrill sound (humming of a bee, sound of guitar. A low pitch sound is called a hoarse sound ( roar of a lion, car horn). Ptich of female voice is higher than male.

Loudness : Loudness or a softness of sound wave is the sensation that depends upon its amplitude. The loudness of a sound is a measure of the sound energy reaching ear per second. When we strike a table top with more force, it vibrates and produces loud sound waves which have more amplitude. When struck  with smaller force, vibrating table top produces soft sound waves which have less amplitude. A loud sound wave which carries more energy and can be heard at large distance. Reduction in amplitude at large distance, makes the sound soft. In other words loudness is the sensation received by the ear due to intensity. ( i.e. the amount of sound energy ( energy carried by sound wave ) passing per second normally through unit area) of sound.

The loudest natural sounds ever made on our planet earth are probabily gigantic volcanic eruptions, such as the explosions on islands. 

Quality (Timber) :   Quality or timber of a sound wave is that characteristics which helps us in distinguishing one sound from another having same pitch and loudness. We recognise  a person without seeing by listening to his sound as it has a definite quality. A pure sound of single frequency is called a tone. An impure sound produced by mixture of many frequency is called a note. It is pleasnt to listen. Notes of the same pitch played upon different musical instruments are distinguished from each other by their quality. The quality of a note depends on the waveform. The waves produced by different instruments differ in their forms.

Sample Questions
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Question : 1

Quality of sound is used to distinguish between :

Right Option : B
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Question : 2

Loudness of sound is directly proportional to the ____________________

Right Option : A
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Question : 3

A shrill sound has a __________ pitch and a dull sound has a ___________ pitch.

Right Option : A
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