Understanding frequency and amplitude in sound
The frequency and amplitude of sound waves as registered on an oscilloscope.
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© Josef Martha—sciencemanconsulting.comA video exploration of how sound travels.
News •
Orangutans prefer food associated with sounds of laughter, study suggests
• Oct. 21, 2026, 5:00 PM ET (The Guardian)
Transcript
NARRATOR: Let's record some sounds so we can compare them:
[C4 keynote]
262 vibrations per second,
[C5 keynote]
524 vibrations per second,
[C6 keynote]
and 1,048 vibrations per second.
The number of vibrations per second is called the frequency. High notes [keynote] have more vibrations per second than low notes [keynote], each twice as much as the octave below it.
Now let's play the same note two ways. Notice the difference:
[Keynotes]
The loudness of the note is related to the strength of its vibration. We call this amplitude. Frequency and amplitude are two qualities of sound.
[C4 keynote]
262 vibrations per second,
[C5 keynote]
524 vibrations per second,
[C6 keynote]
and 1,048 vibrations per second.
The number of vibrations per second is called the frequency. High notes [keynote] have more vibrations per second than low notes [keynote], each twice as much as the octave below it.
Now let's play the same note two ways. Notice the difference:
[Keynotes]
The loudness of the note is related to the strength of its vibration. We call this amplitude. Frequency and amplitude are two qualities of sound.
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