PSYC 102 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Musical Tone, Sine Wave, Fundamental Frequency
Document Summary
Physical definition of sound- pressure changes in the air or other medium. Perceptual definition of sound- the experience we have when we hear. Sound stimulus occurs when movements or vibrations of an object cause pressure changes in air or other medium that surrounds object. Vibration causes a series of condensations (push outward which causes increase in air pressure/density of air molecules around object) and rarefactions ( inward movement which causes decrease in air pressure/density of air molecules around object) Sound wave- pattern of air pressure changes, which travels through air at 340 meters/second. Pure tone- simple kind of sound wave that occurs when changes in air pressure occur in pattern described by sine wave. Produced rarely in natural environment, and produced by tuning forks. Frequency- describes vibration in terms of number of cycles per second the pressure changes repeat. Amplitude- describes vibration in terms of the size of pressure change. Difference between pressure at high and low peaks of wave.
