Final answer:
The pitch of a sound is determined by the frequency of vibration; higher frequencies correspond to higher pitches and vice versa. The size of an instrument affects the pitch it can produce. The speed of sound remains consistent across different frequencies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pitch of a sound is determined by its frequency, which is the rate at which the sound-producing medium vibrates. Higher-frequency sounds have a higher pitch, such as the chirp of a bird, while lower-frequency sounds have a lower pitch, like the roar of a lion. The size of a musical instrument influences the pitch of the sounds it can produce, with smaller instruments generally creating higher-pitch sounds due to their ability to produce shorter-wavelength sounds.
One crucial aspect of sound is that the speed at which it travels is nearly independent of its frequency. This concept is evident in the consistent arrival of music from a marching band regardless of the listener's distance from the performance, confirming that all frequencies travel at nearly the same speed in open air within the audible range.