You’re at a concert, and the band starts playing your favorite song. You notic -[Free] B75
You’re at a concert, and the band starts playing your favorite song. You notice that the volume is much louder than the opening act. What aspect of the sound wave is responsible for this increase in volume? Decibel Level Wave Height (Amplitude) Trough of the Wave Frequency
Sound Wave Properties and Loudness
Question
You’re at a concert, and the band starts playing your favorite song. You notice that the volume is much louder than the opening act. What aspect of the sound wave is responsible for this increase in volume?
- Decibel Level
- Wave Height (Amplitude)
- Trough of the Wave
- Frequency
Answer
The correct aspect of the sound wave responsible for the increased volume is the Wave Height (Amplitude).
Detailed Explanation
Sound is a mechanical wave that travels through the air (or other mediums) by compressing and decompressing particles. When you hear a sound that is louder, this means the wave carries more energy.
Amplitude is the property of the wave that determines the loudness. It is the maximum displacement of particles from their resting position. In other words, amplitude describes how far the air molecules are pushed back and forth as the wave passes through them.
Here’s how different properties of a sound wave relate to what we perceive:
- Amplitude: Determines loudness. Higher amplitude means a louder sound.
- Frequency: Determines pitch. Higher frequency sounds are higher-pitched.
- Wavelength: Related to frequency and the speed of sound.
- Trough/Crest: These are simply points on the wave—volume depends on amplitude, not on which point you look at.
So, when the concert gets louder, the amplitude of the sound waves increases, causing your ears to perceive more intense vibrations.
Conclusion
Therefore, the aspect of the sound wave responsible for the louder volume at the concert is: