What determines the pitch of a sound?

What determines the pitch of a sound?

• A. The speed of sound in air.
• B. Duration of the sound.
• C. Amplitude of the sound.
• D. Frequency, measured in cycles per second (Hz).

Answer: (D)

Pitch is determined by the frequency of the sound wave—the rate at which the source vibrates or the number of pressure cycles per second. The higher that frequency, the higher the pitch we hear. Frequency is measured in hertz (cycles per second), so a note at 440 Hz sounds higher than one at 220 Hz, and doubling the frequency raises the pitch by about one octave (880 Hz is an octave above 440 Hz). The speed of sound in air affects how fast the wave moves and defines the wavelength for a given frequency, but it does not set the pitch by itself. Duration is about how long the sound lasts, and amplitude relates to loudness, not pitch.

Pitch is determined by the frequency of the sound wave—the rate at which the source vibrates or the number of pressure cycles per second. The higher that frequency, the higher the pitch we hear. Frequency is measured in hertz (cycles per second), so a note at 440 Hz sounds higher than one at 220 Hz, and doubling the frequency raises the pitch by about one octave (880 Hz is an octave above 440 Hz). The speed of sound in air affects how fast the wave moves and defines the wavelength for a given frequency, but it does not set the pitch by itself. Duration is about how long the sound lasts, and amplitude relates to loudness, not pitch.