Final answer:
A complex sound consists of several sinusoidal components of different frequencies that combine through superposition. Examples include musical chords played on instruments like the guitar or piano. Understanding complex sounds is important in acoustics, music, and audio engineering.
Step-by-step explanation:
A complex sound consists of several sinusoidal components of different frequencies. It can be made up of multiple periods originating from the same sinusoidal component, or it can have several cycles at more than 1000 Hz. Most complex sounds are the result of several simple waves adding together through a phenomenon called superposition.
For example, a musical chord played on a guitar or piano is a complex sound because it is made up of multiple sinusoidal components at different frequencies. Each string on the instrument vibrates at a specific frequency, and when multiple strings are played together, their vibrations combine to create a complex sound.
Understanding complex sounds is important in fields such as acoustics, music, and audio engineering.