What is Amplitude?

01.06.09 | Comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:15 — 5.8MB)

scream by rutty

scream by rutty

Continuing our “Media Science” series on sound, we discuss amplitude.

We use the familiar example of a guitar making noise to show that amplitude as a percieved loudness. This episode wraps up our media science series on the basics of sound. There is more to learn and understand about sound, but the series of three episodes will give you an understanding of the physics of sound.

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  • 1. This would be a lot cooler if there was a link to leave a comment on the front page (just sayin' email if you want a hand).

    2. Now onto the subject. Why if we have a low amplitude sound, that has a low frequency, and it displaces less air, (like a base drum) does it make a larger impact on our physical body (the thump in your chest) than a high high frequency, high amplitude sound?

    As an aside it has recently been discovered that loud base can collapse a lung (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3614180.stm) and a high pitch voice can break a glass. At the same volume, which is more powerful?
  • The lower frequencies move more air because of the amount of air that has to be moved to make the sound in the first place. A high pitched sound moves small amounts of air. Even if it moves that air quite a bit, you'll never feel it against your chest because of the wavelength of the sound.

    The high pitched voice and low end bass are powerful i different ways. That's my cop out, mostly because I'm not 100% sure what the answer is.
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