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How are sound frequency and pitch related?
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audiology
Learn about the audiology department of the Center for Audiology, Speech, Language, and Learning, a nonprofit clinic at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
In the context of audiology and the physiology of hearing, sound frequency and pitch are intrinsically linked, with frequency serving as the physical basis for the subjective perception of pitch.12
- Physical Definition: Frequency refers to the number of vibrations or cycles per second produced by a sound source, measured in hertz (Hz).23
- Perceptual Correlation: Pitch is the auditory sensation of the relative highness or lowness of a tone. Generally, a higher frequency of vibration is perceived as a higher pitch, while a lower frequency is perceived as a lower pitch.12
- Biological Processing: The inner ear analyzes these frequencies through the basilar membrane. According to the "place theory," different frequencies cause maximum vibration at specific locations along this membrane. The brain identifies the pitch by recognizing which specific nerve fibers are activated by these vibrations. For lower frequencies (up to approximately 3,000 Hz), the rate of nerve stimulation also provides the brain with timing information that helps determine pitch.4