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The human ear can only detect frequencies below ultrasound and above infrasound - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 10 - 2022 - Paper 1
Question 10
The human ear can only detect frequencies below ultrasound and above infrasound. (i) Which of these gives the approximate range of frequencies for the human ear? A... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The human ear can only detect frequencies below ultrasound and above infrasound - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 10 - 2022 - Paper 1
Step 1
Which of these gives the approximate range of frequencies for the human ear?
Answer
The approximate range of frequencies for the human ear is from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, which corresponds to option D. Human hearing is generally limited to these frequencies, as sounds outside this range cannot be detected.
Step 2
Suggest two reasons why there are limits to the frequencies that a human ear can detect.
Answer
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The structures of the ear, including the eardrum and the cochlea, have physical limitations that restrict the vibrations they can respond to, leading to a threshold beyond which frequencies cannot be perceived.
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Higher frequencies may not cause sufficient stimulation of the inner ear cells, while very low frequencies may not create detectable sound waves in the air, thus limiting the audible range.
Step 3
Explain how the signals in Figure 13a and Figure 13b show that there is a crack in the metal bar in Figure 13b.
Answer
In Figure 13a, the signals emitted and received indicate a consistent wave pattern, suggesting that sound travels through the metal bar unimpeded. In contrast, Figure 13b displays a disruption in the wave pattern due to the crack in the metal bar. This is evidenced by a change in the time it takes for the signals to be received, indicating that the sound waves are reflecting off the crack.
Step 4
Suggest one reason why the amplitude of signal R in Figure 13b is smaller than the amplitude of signal P shown in Figure 13a.
Answer
The amplitude of signal R is smaller because some energy is lost when the ultrasound waves encounter the crack in the metal bar. The presence of the crack absorbs some of the sound energy, leading to a decrease in the amplitude of the received signal.
Step 5
Use information from the table in Figure 14 and the diagram in Figure 15 in your answer.
Answer
In the context of seismic waves, P waves are longitudinal and travel through both liquids and solids, while S waves are transverse and only travel through solids. The diagram in Figure 15 shows regions A, B, and C with varying detections of P and S waves. The absence of S waves in certain areas indicates a liquid layer within the Earth, while the presence of P waves being detected in regions where S waves are not detected supports the conclusion of differentiated material layers within the Earth's interior.