Question

We began with a comparison of some acoustic characteristics of vowels and consonants. With respect to frequency, vowel sounds are relatively __________ frequency, and consonant sounds tend to be relatively _________ frequency

a) high, low
b) high, mid
c) low, mid
d) low, high
e) low, low

Answer 1

Vowel sounds are low frequency, while consonant sounds are high frequency. Frequency is heard as pitch.

Step-by-step explanation:

Vowel sounds are relatively low frequency, while consonant sounds tend to be relatively high frequency.

Frequency is the number of waves per unit of time, and in sound, it is heard as pitch. Low-frequency sounds have a longer wavelength and are lower-pitched, while high-frequency sounds have a shorter wavelength and are higher-pitched.

For example, the roar of a lion would have a low pitch, which is a low-frequency sound, while the chirp of a bird would have a high pitch, which is a high-frequency sound.