3.2: Properties of Sound

Understanding Sound From Ear to Engineer · LibreTexts

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    From LibreTexts, under CC BY-SA 4.0, as the source states it; its equations are written in TeX, which the PDF shows typeset. This page at LibreTexts.

    Properties of Sound

    Sound can be described using four fundamental properties:

    • Pitch: How high or low a sound is, determined by the frequency of the wave.
    • Amplitude: The intensity or loudness of the sound, related to the size of the wave’s vibration.
    • Timbre (pronounced Tamber): The unique quality or color of a sound that distinguishes one source from another, even when pitch and loudness are the same.
    • Duration: The length of time a sound persists.
    fig-ch01_patchfile_01.jpg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): "CH5-graphic2", Lois Frankle, (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).

    This page titled 3.2: Properties of Sound was last modified on Fri, 01 May 2026 02:54:57 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Geoffrey Dunbar.