Audible and Inaudible Sounds

10.6 Audible and Inaudible Sounds

Description

Quick Overview

This section explores the range of sound frequencies detectable by the human ear, defining audible sounds as those between 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, and highlighting inaudible sounds beyond these limits.

Standard

In this section, we learn about the limitations of human hearing regarding sound frequencies. Sounds below 20 Hz are termed inaudible, as are those above 20 kHz. The section highlights the implications of these ranges in everyday life, such as dogs hearing high-frequency sounds and the use of ultrasound in medical diagnostics.

Detailed

Audible and Inaudible Sounds

The section outlines the range of frequencies that the human ear can detect, which lies between approximately 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz (20 kHz). Any sound with a frequency below 20 Hz is considered inaudible and is often beyond human perception. These low frequency sounds can include rudimentary natural phenomena like earthquakes. Conversely, high frequency sounds exceeding 20 kHz, such as ultrasonic waves, also fall outside human auditory capability. Interestingly, certain animals, particularly dogs, can detect higher frequencies, making them responsive to sounds inaudible to humans, such as police whistles designed to be heard by canine companions.

Ultrasound technology, which functions at frequencies higher than 20,000 Hz, is crucial in medical imaging and diagnostics, providing a means to visualize internal bodily structures non-invasively. Understanding these limits not only enhances our awareness of sound but also aids in developing technologies that utilize inaudible frequencies for various applications.

Key Concepts

  • Audible Frequencies: The human hearing range is typically considered to be between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz.

  • Inaudible Frequencies: Sounds below 20 Hz and above 20,000 Hz are inaudible to humans.

  • Hearing Variations: Some animals, such as dogs, can hear frequencies that humans cannot, particularly high-frequency sounds.

  • Applications of Sound: Ultrasound is utilized in various fields, especially in medical imaging.

Memory Aids

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • If it's twenty and below, it's a low sound no-go; If it's twenty thousand high, it’s a sound we can't quantify.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once upon a time, in a land of sounds, there lived dogs who could hear the highest sounds around. While humans could hear the whispers of the trees, dogs heard the calls of the wind with ease.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • A for Audible, I for Inaudible, U for Ultrasound – just remember A, I, U!

🎯 Super Acronyms

AUDIBLE

  • Animals Understand Detectable In Between Lower Extremes. It helps recall which frequencies we can hear.

Examples

  • Dogs responding to high-frequency whistles that their owners cannot hear.

  • Ultrasound machines used in hospitals to create images of internal organs.

Glossary of Terms

  • Term: Audible Sound

    Definition:

    Sound frequencies detectable by the human ear, typically in the range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

  • Term: Inaudible Sound

    Definition:

    Sound frequencies that are below 20 Hz or above 20,000 Hz, which cannot be detected by the human ear.

  • Term: Frequency

    Definition:

    The number of vibrations or oscillations of a sound wave per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

  • Term: Ultrasound

    Definition:

    Sound waves with frequencies above the human hearing range (greater than 20 kHz), used in medical diagnostics.

  • Term: Hertz (Hz)

    Definition:

    The unit of frequency, representing one cycle per second.