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Lesson: Chapter 4 — Waves and their applications

4.3.5. Musical instruments 1 of 2

Music and noise

Some sounds are pleasant to the ear and some are not. The difference shows up clearly on an oscilloscope.

The waveforms of a tuning fork, a violin and a piano (Figure 4.33) differ from one another, but each is made of a pattern that repeats regularly.

Figure to be added

Figure 4.40 — the waveform of noise from the machines in a factory: a jagged, irregular trace with no repeating pattern.

Music

Regular vibrations make a waveform with a repeating pattern, pleasant to the ear.

Noise

Irregular vibrations make a waveform with no regular pattern at all.

Musical instrument

Instruments that produce sounds pleasant to the ear when played are musical instruments. They are made so that they vibrate regularly when played.