What is the diffrence between loudness and pitch​ ?

English · Middle School · Thu Feb 04 2021

Answered on

Loudness and pitch are two different characteristics of sound that allow us to perceive it in distinct ways.

Loudness is a measure of the sound wave's intensity and is determined by the amplitude of the sound wave. Amplitude refers to the height of the sound wave; the larger the amplitude, the more energy the wave has, and the louder the sound will be perceived. Loudness is subjectively measured in decibels (dB), and the human ear can perceive sounds from the faintest whisper around 0 dB to a jet engine, which can be over 120 dB.

Pitch, on the other hand, is determined by the frequency of the sound wave, which is the number of sound waves (cycles) that pass a given point per second. Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz), and it is this characteristic of sound that distinguishes a high note from a low note. For example, a high-pitched sound like the chirp of a bird has a high frequency because there are many cycles occurring each second, while the roar of a lion has a lower pitch and a lower frequency because fewer cycles occur each second.

The pitch of a sound is how we interpret the frequency; it's why we can tell the difference between a musical note played on a low-pitched instrument like a tuba and the same note played on a high-pitched instrument like a flute.