Question

Two people are singing a note at exactly 300 Hz. A microphone is placed in front of them to record their voices but when the track is played back, the recorded note is much quieter than the singers were producing. What is the best explanation for this result?

Answer 1

The quieter recorded note at 300 Hz may be due to a microphone's limited sensitivity or frequency response, not accurately capturing the intensity of the singers' voices. Additionally, the human ear perceives different frequencies at varying levels of loudness, which can affect recording levels on playback.

Step-by-step explanation:

The recorded note being much quieter than the singers were producing when two people are singing a note at exactly 300 Hz can be due to a few factors related to the microphone and sound properties. One possibility is that the microphone is not properly capturing the intensity of the sound waves produced by the singers. This may be due to a limitation in the microphone's sensitivity or frequency response, meaning it does not record all frequencies at the same loudness that a human ear would perceive them. It's important to note that the perception of loudness is not solely based on intensity but is also influenced by the frequency of the sound. Human ears have different sensitivities to different frequencies, and microphones may not perfectly replicate this sensitivity. Sounds in the frequency range of 2000 to 5000 Hz are perceived as louder to the human ear, so a 300 Hz sound may naturally seem quieter. A microphone might also have its own response curve, leading it to record sounds at certain frequencies at a lower volume than others.