The Physics of Music Essay examples - 880 Words

Physical science is the study of non-living matter which I will be talking about the physics of music, and how pitch and frequency play a role together in science. Physics is known to be the most fundamental science, based on the principle and concepts. It deals with matter, motion, force, and energy, (Shipman-Wilson Higgins, 2013). In this report I will be dealing with pitch, frequency sound and waves which are also dealing with physical science and how they our related. Sound is (a) the physical transmission of a disorder (energy) in a standard and the physiological response generally to pressure waves in air. However, the sound spectrum has much lower frequencies and is much simpler, with only three frequency regions; the infrasonic†¦show more content†¦Intensity is the average flow of energy per unit time through a given area of the medium and is related to loudness, (Shipman-Wilson-Higgins, 2013). Frequency is the number of waves that pass a fixed point per unit time; also, the number of cycles or vibrations undergone in unit time by a body in periodic motion. Frequency f is the reciprocal of the time T taken to complete one cycle (the period), or 1/T. The frequency with which earth rotates is once per 24 hours, (Merriam-Webster). Frequency is usually expressed in units called hertz (Hz). One hertz is equal to one cycle per second; one kilohertz (kHz) is 1,000 Hz, and one megahertz (MHz) is 1,000,000 Hz. The musical pitch an above middle C (the A string of a violin) has been widely standardized as 440 Hz, (Merriam-Webster). The frequency of a sound wave may be physical measured, whereas pitch is the perceived highness or lowness of a sound. A higher pitch has a higher number of vibrations. In Western music, standard pitches have long been used to facilitate tuning. A confusing variety of pitches prevailed until the 19th century, when the continual rise in pitch made some international agreement a matter of practical necessity, (Merriam-Webster). For example, a soprano has a high- pitched voice compared with a baritone. Pitch is related to frequency. If a sound with a single frequency is heard at two intensity levels, then nearly all listeners will agree that the more intense sound has a lower pitch.Show MoreRelated Physics of Music Essay851 Words   |  4 Pageschemistry either Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742-1799) Music is not purely a form of art. There is a great deal of science that goes behind the production of beautiful musical sounds. In order to understand how music is possible, one must have an understanding of physics. Physics allows us to create musical instruments with different tone qualities and the ability to be played in a certain way to produce a specific pitch or note. Music is sound, and sound is vibrations or waves that are at theRead MoreBiography of Albert Einstein Essay795 Words   |  4 PagesGerman-born theoretical physicist, which is a part of physics that employs a system using mathematical concepts and languages. He developed the General theory of relativity, which is a part of mathematics that is devoted to finitely generated groups of gravitation and is the current description of gravitation in modern physics. He is well known for his mass-energy equivalence formula E=mc2. His Notable awards are the Nobel Prize in Physics 1921, which is an award that is awarded once a year byRead MoreA Look At The Sound Of Music1550 Words   |  7 PagesA Look at the Sound of Music As a college student, I have seen innumerable people walking by with their headphones in, using music to block out the rest of the world. With the convenience of an iPhone or other smart phone, listening to music has become so casual. With the press of a button, voila! 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By understanding the workings ofRead MoreEssay on Physics in Everyday Life1684 Words   |  7 PagesPhysics in Everyday Life 1 Just about everything you do from moving to eating to listening to music involves physics. Now that I have really explored them I think it is hard to go about our day and not do something that involves physics. Some of the things I will talk about are getting out of bed, the eye and how eye glasses help a person see better, speakers, the Frisbee, sailing, and the pulleys I use to get my jeep unstuck in the mud when I ride in the woods. All of theseRead More Physics of Electric Guitars Essay1309 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction More than any other instrument, the electric guitar has shaped and redefined music in the last century. Although popular culture did not pay much attention to it when it was first introduced in the 1930s, it has since become equated with the very essence of rock and roll music. On an international level, the electric guitar is by far the most famous instrument to come out of the United States (howstuffworks.com). Background Inventors have been playing with the ideaRead MorePhysics of drums1199 Words   |  5 Pages The Physics of the Drums Physics plays a large role in the production of music. It provides an explanation on how instruments create their sounds and how we interpret them. Many factors determine the sound created from instruments such as tension, resonance, size, shape, material and thickness. One of the world’s oldest and most basic instrument is the drum. The drum can be related to numerous topics in the science of physics. It is a member of the percussion family and usually produces soundsRead MoreEssay about Sound715 Words   |  3 Pages Resonance and Sound†¦Physics and Music Since sound is the medium of music, most of the physics of music is the physics of sound. Its important to remember that sound waves are compression waves. You can imitate a compression wave by stretching out a slinky (you do have a slinky, dont you?) and flicking your finger against a coil at the end. Sound waves are not like the waves on the ocean or the waves you get by waving a stretched-out rope. Take a tuning fork (you do have a tuning fork