The hearing range

We do not hear every sound around us. Some that we miss, other animals can hear.

Hearing range

The range of frequencies an animal can hear is its hearing range. For humans it is usually taken to be 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz.

As a person grows older, the highest frequency they can hear gradually comes down.

Infrasound

Sound below 20 Hz — too low for us to hear.

Ultrasound

Sound above 20 000 Hz — too high for us to hear.