Final answer:
Humans can hear approximately ten octaves of sound, starting from 20 Hz and doubling each time up to about 20,000 Hz. Therefore, the correct answer is option C, which states that humans can hear about ten octaves.
Step-by-step explanation:
The range of frequencies that humans are capable of hearing is generally stated as from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. An octave represents a doubling of frequency, therefore, if we calculate the number of doublings from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, we can find out how many octaves the human ear can hear.
Starting at 20 Hz:
- 40 Hz is one octave higher.
- 80 Hz is two octaves higher.
- 160 Hz is three octaves higher.
- 320 Hz is four octaves higher.
- 640 Hz is five octaves higher.
- 1280 Hz is six octaves higher.
- 2560 Hz is seven octaves higher.
- 5120 Hz is eight octaves higher.
- 10240 Hz is nine octaves higher.
- 20480 Hz would be ten octaves higher, slightly above the human hearing range.
Therefore, the answer is approximately ten octaves, which makes option C) the correct answer to the question about how many octaves a human can hear based on the standard range for human hearing. Note that the precise number of octaves may slightly differ due to the exact upper limit of hearing, which can be just below 20,000 Hz for many individuals.