S3.9.8 For the adult
Pitch, loudness and hearing
What makes one sound high and another loud, and how do loud sounds hurt my ears?
What this chapter teaches
Pitch is set by frequency, the number of vibrations each second, in hertz. Loudness is set by the size of the vibration and measured in decibels, where each 10 dB is about ten times the energy. Loud sound over a long time damages the hair cells in the ear for good.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- A string vibrates 300 times in 3 seconds. What is its frequency?
- What changes when a note gets higher, and what changes when it gets louder?
- What are two ways to protect your hearing in a loud place?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Link pitch to frequency in hertz and loudness to vibration size
- Explain why animals hear different ranges of sound
- Explain how loud sounds, measured in decibels, damage hearing
What they copy into their notebook
Pitch depends on frequency in hertz, the vibrations each second. Loudness depends on the size of the vibration, in decibels. Each 10 dB more is about 10 times the energy. Loud sound damages hair cells for good.