Pitch and amplitude of sound wave Vs its volume

In summary, the conversation discusses the relationship between the pitch, amplitude, and volume of a sound wave. The concept of amplitude is defined as a measure of change over a single period, while loudness is described as the subjective perception of sound pressure. The discussion also touches on the psychoacoustic and physical factors that contribute to perceived loudness. The question of whether the amplitude of a sound wave can affect its loudness is also raised.
  • #1
k.udhay
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Hi. If I know the pitch and amplitude of a sound wave, will I be able to calculate its volume.

I can understand volume of devices vary betwerb brands and other categories. For the sake of discussion, let's assume volume to be a consistent unit or if db is the right unit, let's take that.
 
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  • #2
I find two definitions for sound volume.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplitude said:
The amplitude of a periodic variable is a measure of its change over a single period (such as time or spatial period). There are various definitions of amplitude (see below), which are all functions of the magnitude of the difference between the variable's extreme values. In older texts the phase is sometimes called the amplitude.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness said:
In acoustics, loudness is the subjective perception of sound pressure. More formally, it is defined as, "That attribute of auditory sensation in terms of which sounds can be ordered on a scale extending from quiet to loud."

The relation of physical attributes of sound to perceived loudness consists of physical, physiological and psychological components. The study of apparent loudness is included in the topic of psychoacoustics and employs methods of psychophysics.

In sound systems it sounds like the subjective definition applies. If so, then amplitude is not enough.
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  • #3
If I keep everything else constant - Ambient noise value, temperature or anything else that could change behavior of sound - But the amplitude of wave, will it change the loudness of what I was hearing so far?
 

1. What is the difference between pitch and amplitude of a sound wave?

Pitch refers to the perceived frequency of a sound wave, while amplitude refers to the strength or intensity of the sound wave. Pitch is measured in Hertz (Hz) and is responsible for the perceived "highness" or "lowness" of a sound. Amplitude is measured in decibels (dB) and is responsible for the perceived loudness of a sound.

2. How does the pitch of a sound relate to its volume?

The pitch and volume of a sound are not directly related. A sound can have a high pitch and low volume, or a low pitch and high volume. However, in general, higher frequency sounds (higher pitch) tend to be perceived as louder than lower frequency sounds (lower pitch).

3. Can a sound have a high amplitude but a low pitch?

Yes, a sound can have a high amplitude (loudness) but a low pitch. For example, a bass speaker can produce a low-pitched sound with a high volume.

4. How does the volume of a sound wave affect its energy?

The volume of a sound wave is directly related to its energy. As the volume increases, so does the energy of the sound wave. This is because the higher the amplitude of a sound wave, the more air molecules are being compressed, resulting in a greater transfer of energy.

5. What is the relationship between the pitch and amplitude of a sound wave?

The pitch and amplitude of a sound wave are independent of each other. However, the combination of different pitches and amplitudes can create complex sounds and melodies. The pitch of a sound is determined by its frequency, while the amplitude is determined by the amount of energy in the sound wave.

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