Can you help me with this question?

Jennie is sitting in the audience listening to her sisters band concert. During one song a bassoon, playing very low notes, plays a duet with a flute, playing very high notes. Jennie is having trouble hearing the flute over the bassoon. Assuming Jennie's ears are equally sensitive to the notes played by the bassoon and flute, compare and contrast the sound waves coming out of the two instruments. Be sure to use the terms amplitude, frequency, speed, and wavelength in your response.

1 Answer
Feb 14, 2018

For "equally sensitive" receptors, it is the difference in amplitude (sound level, volume) that would determine which instrument is heard.

Explanation:

The speed is the same for all wavelengths in the same medium. The flute sounds will all have higher frequencies and shorter wavelengths compared to those of the bassoon. It is the blend of the sounds that creates orchestral music. If one is played louder that another, it will overwhelm the sound from the quieter one. The difference in this level is determined by the amplitude of the sound wave.