Bats and High Frequencies

[m.l.]

Homework Statement

Why can animals such as bats, that have tiny, light-weight ear parts, hear sounds with much higher frequencies than humans can hear?

Homework Equations

written response

The Attempt at a Solution

Waves with low frequencies are smaller than those with high, so they can therefore move the small parts of the bats ear?

 

[physics girl phd]

What do you mean by "smaller"? I'm guessing you mean amplitude... which relates to loudness, not pitch.

Hint: perhaps think about why a wineglass might be susceptible to breaking at certain frequencies.