Question

The overall length of a piccolo is 32.0 cm. The resonating air column is open. What is the frequency of the lowest note a piccolo can sound?

Answer 1

The fundamental frequency (lowest tone) is 536 Hz.

Explanation:

For standing waves in a column of air in a pipe open at both ends, it can be shown that the frequencies of the waves that can form standing wave patterns is:

`f_n = (nv)/(2l)`

where v is the speed of sound in air (343 m/s) and `l` is the length of the air column (the length of the imstrument).

If you insert `n=1` you get the fundamental frequency, the lowest tone that can be played on that instrument. (Higher whole-number values of `n` are called the harmonics.)

Using the values in this problem, we see that

`f_1 = (343) /(2*0.32) = 536` Hz

This is approximately one octave above middle C.