Pitch and frequency
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Electricity
Sound
States of matter
Living things and their habitats
Animals, including humans
Explainer Video
Summary
Pitch and frequency
In a nutshell
Pitch is how high or low a sound is. Pitch depends on how fast an object is vibrating. Frequency is the number of times an object vibrates in one second. Pitch can be changed by changing properties of the object.
Pitch
Definition
Pitch is how high or low a sound is. Sounds have different pitches. A higher pitch means a higher sound. A lower pitch means a lower sound.
Pitch is often linked to music notes however every sound has a certain pitch, and frequency.
Frequency
Definition
Frequency is the number of times an object producing sound vibrates in one second. Any particles the sound wave vibrates through also vibrate at this frequency.
The pitch of a sound can be changed. One way to do this is by changing how fast the object is vibrating. Faster vibrations have a higher frequency and lead to a higher pitch. Slower vibrations have a lower frequency and lead to a lower pitch.
Properties of materials
To change how fast the object vibrates, the properties of an object can be changed.
Higher Pitch | Lower Pitch |
| Smaller | Larger |
| Thinner | Thicker |
| Tighter | Looser |
| More dense | Less dense |
Example
Musical instruments have different properties to create different pitches.
 Guitar strings are thicker for the lower notes and thinner for the higher notes. |  A tight drum skin gives a high-pitched note, a looser skin gives a low-pitched note. |
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
What is frequency?
The number of times an object vibrates in one second. Any particles the sound wave vibrates through also vibrate at this frequency.
How can the pitch of an object be changed?
One way to do this is by changing how fast the object is vibrating.
What is pitch?
Pitch is how high or low a sound is. A higher pitch means a higher sound. A lower pitch means a lower sound.