Beats September 9, 2005
Recall what a single frequency tone sounds like Play on Sound Generator A=440 Hz. The Graph:
440 Hz. and 450 Hz. Compared 440 Hz. 450 Hz.
440 Hz. and 450 Hz. Together
440 Hz. and 450 Hz. Together for a longer time (0.1 second)
440 Hz. and 450 Hz. Together for an even longer time (0.5 second) Tbeat These are BEATS From this graph we see that Tbeat = 0.1 seconds. fbeat = 10 Hz..
Why?? In phase out of phase in phase again
The Concept Two sounds start together (in phase). After Tbeat seconds they get back together again. One of the waves must have gone through N cycles while the other went through (N+1) complete cycles. They are therefore together again!
The *(*@)$# math ! The beat frequency between two simultaneous tones is equal to The difference between the frequencies of the two tones!
LISTEN & Look……. Isn’t science wonderful??