Pitch and loudness of sound – comparing two sounds on an oscilloscope

Integrated ScienceLight & SoundAges 12–13

A tuning fork or a string vibrates with a frequency f and amplitude A chosen by the student; an oscilloscope shows the waveform, and scales show the loudness (dB) and pitch of the sound. A higher frequency gives a higher pitch and a larger amplitude gives a louder sound; switch on comparison mode to show two sounds on the same screen. A Play button plays the real sound, and the range audible to the human ear, 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz, is marked.