Final answer:
The claim that low-frequency sounds pose a greater threat to hearing than high-frequency sounds is false. High noise exposure of any frequency can be hazardous to hearing, and high-frequency sounds can also cause significant hearing loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that low-frequency sounds generally pose a greater threat to hearing than high-frequency sounds is false. When assessing the risk to hearing, it's important to consider both the intensity (loudness) and frequency (pitch) of sounds. High-frequency sounds, especially those above 8000 Hz, may not be used often in daily life for understanding conversation or appreciating music, but they can still pose a significant risk to hearing. High noise exposure, regardless of the frequency, is hazardous to hearing. Typically, hearing loss induced by high noise exposure shows a dip near the 4000 Hz frequency, which illustrates that damage isn't exclusively linked to low frequencies. Moreover, presbycusis, a common age-related hearing loss, affects higher frequencies more severely.
Additionally, the physical property of sound intensity is crucial since louder sounds can cause hearing damage irrespective of whether they are high or low in frequency. Frequency is judged by how often the sound waves pass a fixed point per unit of time, and this is unrelated to the loudness or intensity of a sound.