PHYS 130 - Musical Acoustics

3 Credit(s)

Gen Ed: SP credit.
The physics of music and sound. A study of the physical properties and processes related to the production of sound with particular attention to musical sounds: vibrations and oscillations as the sources of waves and wave properties, and those of sound waves in particular; the mathematical and psychophysical basis of musical scales; the structure and function of the human ear and how it detects and processes sounds; how musical instruments produce the sounds that they do and the similarities and differences among them; the physical properties behind musical characteristics, such as pitch, loudness and timbre (quality): aspects of environmental sound, including loudness, reflection and absorption. Examples of the phenomena are furnished by classroom demonstrations using oscillation and wave apparatus and actual musical instruments. Neither high school physics nor prior musical instruction is expected or required. Students enrolling in this course are encouraged to register at the same time for PHYS 131, when it is offered.