{"id":148,"date":"2015-02-06T23:15:46","date_gmt":"2015-02-06T23:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/ospsych\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=148"},"modified":"2016-11-17T22:39:44","modified_gmt":"2016-11-17T22:39:44","slug":"waves-and-wavelengths","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/chapter\/waves-and-wavelengths\/","title":{"raw":"Waves and Wavelengths","rendered":"Waves and Wavelengths"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\r\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\nBy the end of this section, you will be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Describe important physical features of wave forms<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Show how physical properties of light waves are associated with perceptual experience<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Show how physical properties of sound waves are associated with perceptual experience<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p id=\"eip-818\">Visual and auditory stimuli both occur in the form of waves. Although the two stimuli are very different in terms of composition, wave forms share similar characteristics that are especially important to our visual and auditory perceptions. In this section, we describe the physical properties of the waves as well as the perceptual experiences associated with them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<section id=\"fs-idm163523312\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h2><\/h2>\r\n<h2>AMPLITUDE AND WAVELENGTH<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm59471216\">Two physical characteristics of a wave are amplitude and wavelength (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_Wave\">[link]<\/a>). The <span data-type=\"term\">amplitude<\/span> of a wave is the height of a wave as measured from the highest point on the wave (<span data-type=\"term\">peak<\/span> or <span data-type=\"term\">crest<\/span>) to the lowest point on the wave (<span data-type=\"term\">trough<\/span>). <span data-type=\"term\">Wavelength<\/span> refers to the length of a wave from one peak to the next.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_Wave\"><figcaption><\/figcaption>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"649\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224709\/CNX_Psych_05_02_Wave.jpg\" alt=\"A diagram illustrates the basic parts of a wave. Moving from left to right, the wavelength line begins above a straight horizontal line and falls and rises equally above and below that line. One of the areas where the wavelength line reaches its highest point is labeled \u201cPeak.\u201d A horizontal bracket, labeled \u201cWavelength,\u201d extends from this area to the next peak. One of the areas where the wavelength reaches its lowest point is labeled \u201cTrough.\u201d A vertical bracket, labeled \u201cAmplitude,\u201d extends from a \u201cPeak\u201d to a \u201cTrough.\u201d\" width=\"649\" height=\"229\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/> The amplitude or height of a wave is measured from the peak to the trough. The wavelength is measured from peak to peak.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm20221648\">Wavelength is directly related to the frequency of a given wave form. <span data-type=\"term\">Frequency<\/span> refers to the number of waves that pass a given point in a given time period and is often expressed in terms of <span data-type=\"term\">hertz (Hz)<\/span>, or cycles per second. Longer wavelengths will have lower frequencies, and shorter wavelengths will have higher frequencies (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_Frequencies\">[link]<\/a>).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_Frequencies\"><figcaption><\/figcaption>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"510\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224710\/CNX_Psych_05_02_Frequencies.jpg\" alt=\"Stacked vertically are 5 waves of different colors and wavelengths. The top wave is red with a long wavelengths, which indicate a low frequency. Moving downward, the color of each wave is different: orange, yellow, green, and blue. Also moving downward, the wavelengths become shorter as the frequencies increase.\" width=\"510\" height=\"171\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/> This figure illustrates waves of differing wavelengths\/frequencies. At the top of the figure, the red wave has a long wavelength\/short frequency. Moving from top to bottom, the wavelengths decrease and frequencies increase.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/figure><\/section><section id=\"fs-idm59549824\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h2><\/h2>\r\n<h2>LIGHT WAVES<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm58596496\">The <span data-type=\"term\">visible spectrum<\/span> is the portion of the larger <span data-type=\"term\">electromagnetic spectrum<\/span> that we can see. As <a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_Spectrum\">[link]<\/a> shows, the electromagnetic spectrum encompasses all of the electromagnetic radiation that occurs in our environment and includes gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared light, microwaves, and radio waves. The visible spectrum in humans is associated with wavelengths that range from 380 to 740 nm\u2014a very small distance, since a nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter. Other species can detect other portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. For instance, honeybees can see light in the ultraviolet range (Wakakuwa, Stavenga, &amp; Arikawa, 2007), and some snakes can detect infrared radiation in addition to more traditional visual light cues (Chen, Deng, Brauth, Ding, &amp; Tang, 2012; Hartline, Kass, &amp; Loop, 1978).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_Spectrum\"><figcaption><\/figcaption>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"975\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224712\/CNX_Psych_05_02_Spectrum.jpg\" alt=\"This illustration shows the wavelength, frequency, and size of objects across the electromagnetic spectrum.. At the top, various wavelengths are given in sequence from small to large, with a parallel illustration of a wave with increasing frequency. These are the provided wavelengths, measured in meters: \u201cGamma ray 10 to the negative twelfth power,\u201d \u201cx-ray 10 to the negative tenth power,\u201d ultraviolet 10 to the negative eighth power,\u201d \u201cvisible .5 times 10 to the negative sixth power,\u201d \u201cinfrared 10 to the negative fifth power,\u201d microwave 10 to the negative second power,\u201d and \u201cradio 10 cubed.\u201dAnother section is labeled \u201cAbout the size of\u201d and lists from left to right: \u201cAtomic nuclei,\u201d \u201cAtoms,\u201d \u201cMolecules,\u201d \u201cProtozoans,\u201d \u201cPinpoints,\u201d \u201cHoneybees,\u201d \u201cHumans,\u201d and \u201cBuildings\u201d with an illustration of each . At the bottom is a line labeled \u201cFrequency\u201d with the following measurements in hertz: 10 to the powers of 20, 18, 16, 15, 12, 8, and 4. From left to right the line changes in color from purple to red with the remaining colors of the visible spectrum in between.\" width=\"975\" height=\"404\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/> Light that is visible to humans makes up only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp66263920\">In humans, light wavelength is associated with perception of color (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_VisSpec\">[link]<\/a>). Within the visible spectrum, our experience of red is associated with longer wavelengths, greens are intermediate, and blues and violets are shorter in wavelength. (An easy way to remember this is the mnemonic ROYGBIV: <strong>r<\/strong>ed, <strong>o<\/strong>range, <strong>y<\/strong>ellow, <strong>g<\/strong>reen, <strong>b<\/strong>lue, <strong>i<\/strong>ndigo, <strong>v<\/strong>iolet.) The amplitude of light waves is associated with our experience of brightness or intensity of color, with larger amplitudes appearing brighter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_VisSpec\"><figcaption><\/figcaption>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"975\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224713\/CNX_Psych_05_02_VisSpec.jpg\" alt=\"A line provides Wavelength in nanometers for \u201c400,\u201d \u201c500,\u201d \u201c600,\u201d and \u201c700\u201d nanometers. Within this line are all of the colors of the visible spectrum. Below this line, labeled from left to right are \u201cCosmic radiation,\u201d \u201cGamma rays,\u201d \u201cX-rays,\u201d \u201cUltraviolet,\u201d then a small callout area for the line above containing the colors in the visual spectrum, followed by \u201cInfrared,\u201d \u201cTerahertz radiation,\u201d \u201cRadar,\u201d \u201cTelevision and radio broadcasting,\u201d and \u201cAC circuits.\u201d\" width=\"975\" height=\"186\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/> Different wavelengths of light are associated with our perception of different colors. (credit: modification of work by Johannes Ahlmann)[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/figure><\/section><section id=\"fs-idp5113616\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h2><\/h2>\r\n<h2>SOUND WAVES<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm2640704\">Like light waves, the physical properties of sound waves are associated with various aspects of our perception of sound. The frequency of a sound wave is associated with our perception of that sound\u2019s <span data-type=\"term\">pitch<\/span>. High-frequency sound waves are perceived as high-pitched sounds, while low-frequency sound waves are perceived as low-pitched sounds. The audible range of sound frequencies is between 20 and 20000 Hz, with greatest sensitivity to those frequencies that fall in the middle of this range.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp89513280\">As was the case with the visible spectrum, other species show differences in their audible ranges. For instance, chickens have a very limited audible range, from 125 to 2000 Hz. Mice have an audible range from 1000 to 91000 Hz, and the beluga whale\u2019s audible range is from 1000 to 123000 Hz. Our pet dogs and cats have audible ranges of about 70\u201345000 Hz and 45\u201364000 Hz, respectively (Strain, 2003).<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp9306416\">The loudness of a given sound is closely associated with the amplitude of the sound wave. Higher amplitudes are associated with louder sounds. Loudness is measured in terms of <span data-type=\"term\">decibels (dB)<\/span>, a logarithmic unit of sound intensity. A typical conversation would correlate with 60 dB; a rock concert might check in at 120 dB (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_AudRange\">[link]<\/a>). A whisper 5 feet away or rustling leaves are at the low end of our hearing range; sounds like a window air conditioner, a normal conversation, and even heavy traffic or a vacuum cleaner are within a tolerable range. However, there is the potential for hearing damage from about 80 dB to 130 dB: These are sounds of a food processor, power lawnmower, heavy truck (25 feet away), subway train (20 feet away), live rock music, and a jackhammer. The threshold for pain is about 130 dB, a jet plane taking off or a revolver firing at close range (Dunkle, 1982).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_AudRange\"><figcaption><\/figcaption>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"975\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224715\/CNX_Psych_05_02_AudRange.jpg\" alt=\"This illustration has a vertical bar in the middle labeled Decibels (dB) numbered 0 to 140 in intervals of 20 from the bottom to the top. To the left of the bar, the \u201csound intensity\u201d of different sounds is labeled: \u201cHearing threshold\u201d is 0; \u201cWhisper\u201d is 30, \u201csoft music\u201d is 40, \u201cRisk of hearing loss\u201d is 110, \u201cpain threshold\u201d is 130, and \u201charmful\u201d is 140. To the right of the bar are photographs depicting \u201ccommon sound\u201d: At 20 decibels is a picture of rustling leaves; At 60 is two people talking, at 80 is a car, at 90 is a food processor, at 120 is a music concert, and at 130 are jets.\" width=\"975\" height=\"693\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/> This figure illustrates the loudness of common sounds. (credit \"planes\": modification of work by Max Pfandl; credit \"crowd\": modification of work by Christian Holm\u00e9r; credit \"blender\": modification of work by Jo Brodie; credit \"car\": modification of work by NRMA New Cars\/Flickr; credit \"talking\": modification of work by Joi Ito; credit \"leaves\": modification of work by Aurelijus Valei\u0161a)[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm60185952\">Although wave amplitude is generally associated with loudness, there is some interaction between frequency and amplitude in our perception of loudness within the audible range. For example, a 10 Hz sound wave is inaudible no matter the amplitude of the wave. A 1000 Hz sound wave, on the other hand, would vary dramatically in terms of perceived loudness as the amplitude of the wave increased.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"fs-idp12758112\" class=\"psychology link-to-learning textbox\" data-type=\"note\" data-label=\"Link To Learning\">\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Link to Learning<\/strong><\/em>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm87835584\">Watch this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lynda.com\/Logic-Pro-tutorials\/perception-frequency-amplitude\/86649\/96460-4.html\" target=\"_blank\">brief video<\/a> demonstrating how frequency and amplitude interact in our perception of loudness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp63422528\">Of course, different musical instruments can play the same musical note at the same level of loudness, yet they still sound quite different. This is known as the timbre of a sound. <span data-type=\"term\">Timbre<\/span> refers to a sound\u2019s purity, and it is affected by the complex interplay of frequency, amplitude, and timing of sound waves.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm1166160\" class=\"psychology link-to-learning textbox\" data-type=\"note\" data-label=\"Link To Learning\">\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Link to Learning<\/strong><\/em>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm52437536\">Watch this <a href=\"http:\/\/www.howstuffworks.com\/videos\" target=\"_blank\">video<\/a> that provides additional information on sound waves.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><section id=\"fs-idm52636800\" class=\"summary\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h2>Summary<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm21712160\">Both light and sound can be described in terms of wave forms with physical characteristics like amplitude, wavelength, and timbre. Wavelength and frequency are inversely related so that longer waves have lower frequencies, and shorter waves have higher frequencies. In the visual system, a light wave\u2019s wavelength is generally associated with color, and its amplitude is associated with brightness. In the auditory system, a sound\u2019s frequency is associated with pitch, and its amplitude is associated with loudness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section><section id=\"fs-idm122916320\" class=\"review-questions\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h2><\/h2>\r\nhttps:\/\/www.openassessments.com\/assessments\/824\r\n\r\n<\/section><section id=\"fs-idm25780928\" class=\"critical-thinking\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\r\n<h3>Self Check Questions<\/h3>\r\n<section id=\"self-check-questions\"><section id=\"fs-idm25780928\" class=\"critical-thinking\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h4 data-type=\"title\"><em><strong>Critical Thinking Question<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm59369024\" data-type=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm67871344\" data-type=\"problem\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm63284816\">1. Why do you think other species have such different ranges of sensitivity for both visual and auditory stimuli compared to humans?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm64989984\" data-type=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm140704528\" data-type=\"problem\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm90062112\">2. Why do you think humans are especially sensitive to sounds with frequencies that fall in the middle portion of the audible range?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><section id=\"fs-idm59868416\" class=\"personal-application\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h4 data-type=\"title\"><em><strong>Personal Application Question<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm61201808\" data-type=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm2626016\" data-type=\"problem\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm56237920\">3. If you grew up with a family pet, then you have surely noticed that they often seem to hear things that you don\u2019t hear. Now that you\u2019ve read this section, you probably have some insight as to why this may be. How would you explain this to a friend who never had the opportunity to take a class like this?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/section><\/div>\r\n<h3><\/h3>\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\"><section id=\"self-check-answers\">\r\n<div data-type=\"exercise\">\r\n<h3>Answers<\/h3>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm86607072\" data-type=\"solution\">\r\n\r\n1. Other species have evolved to best suit their particular environmental niches. For example, the honeybee relies on flowering plants for survival. Seeing in the ultraviolet light might prove especially helpful when locating flowers. Once a flower is found, the ultraviolet rays point to the center of the flower where the pollen and nectar are contained. Similar arguments could be made for infrared detection in snakes as well as for the differences in audible ranges of the species described in this section.\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm69591376\">2. Once again, one could make an evolutionary argument here. Given that the human voice falls in this middle range and the importance of communication among humans, one could argue that it is quite adaptive to have an audible range that centers on this particular type of stimulus.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>\r\n<h3><\/h3>\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\"><section id=\"glossary\">\r\n<h3>Glossary<\/h3>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm67269216\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">amplitude\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>height of a wave<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm75103440\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">decibel (dB)\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>logarithmic unit of sound intensity<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm86600656\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">electromagnetic spectrum\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>all the electromagnetic radiation that occurs in our environment<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm98740400\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">frequency\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>number of waves that pass a given point in a given time period<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm88222768\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">hertz (Hz)\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>cycles per second; measure of frequency<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm59957328\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">peak\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>(also, crest) highest point of a wave<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm39222352\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">pitch\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>perception of a sound\u2019s frequency<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm10555952\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">timbre\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>sound\u2019s purity<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm88359392\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">trough\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>lowest point of a wave<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idp17396208\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">visible spectrum\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that we can see<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm78642400\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">wavelength\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>length of a wave from one peak to the next peak<\/div>\r\n<\/section><\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<div data-type=\"term\">\r\n<h2><\/h2>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm86607072\" data-type=\"solution\"><\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><\/h2>\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;","rendered":"<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-highlight\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<p>By the end of this section, you will be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Describe important physical features of wave forms<\/li>\n<li>Show how physical properties of light waves are associated with perceptual experience<\/li>\n<li>Show how physical properties of sound waves are associated with perceptual experience<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p id=\"eip-818\">Visual and auditory stimuli both occur in the form of waves. Although the two stimuli are very different in terms of composition, wave forms share similar characteristics that are especially important to our visual and auditory perceptions. In this section, we describe the physical properties of the waves as well as the perceptual experiences associated with them.<\/p>\n<section id=\"fs-idm163523312\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>AMPLITUDE AND WAVELENGTH<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm59471216\">Two physical characteristics of a wave are amplitude and wavelength (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_Wave\">[link]<\/a>). The <span data-type=\"term\">amplitude<\/span> of a wave is the height of a wave as measured from the highest point on the wave (<span data-type=\"term\">peak<\/span> or <span data-type=\"term\">crest<\/span>) to the lowest point on the wave (<span data-type=\"term\">trough<\/span>). <span data-type=\"term\">Wavelength<\/span> refers to the length of a wave from one peak to the next.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_Wave\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><div style=\"width: 659px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224709\/CNX_Psych_05_02_Wave.jpg\" alt=\"A diagram illustrates the basic parts of a wave. Moving from left to right, the wavelength line begins above a straight horizontal line and falls and rises equally above and below that line. One of the areas where the wavelength line reaches its highest point is labeled \u201cPeak.\u201d A horizontal bracket, labeled \u201cWavelength,\u201d extends from this area to the next peak. One of the areas where the wavelength reaches its lowest point is labeled \u201cTrough.\u201d A vertical bracket, labeled \u201cAmplitude,\u201d extends from a \u201cPeak\u201d to a \u201cTrough.\u201d\" width=\"649\" height=\"229\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">The amplitude or height of a wave is measured from the peak to the trough. The wavelength is measured from peak to peak.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"fs-idm20221648\">Wavelength is directly related to the frequency of a given wave form. <span data-type=\"term\">Frequency<\/span> refers to the number of waves that pass a given point in a given time period and is often expressed in terms of <span data-type=\"term\">hertz (Hz)<\/span>, or cycles per second. Longer wavelengths will have lower frequencies, and shorter wavelengths will have higher frequencies (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_Frequencies\">[link]<\/a>).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_Frequencies\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><div style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224710\/CNX_Psych_05_02_Frequencies.jpg\" alt=\"Stacked vertically are 5 waves of different colors and wavelengths. The top wave is red with a long wavelengths, which indicate a low frequency. Moving downward, the color of each wave is different: orange, yellow, green, and blue. Also moving downward, the wavelengths become shorter as the frequencies increase.\" width=\"510\" height=\"171\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">This figure illustrates waves of differing wavelengths\/frequencies. At the top of the figure, the red wave has a long wavelength\/short frequency. Moving from top to bottom, the wavelengths decrease and frequencies increase.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-idm59549824\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>LIGHT WAVES<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm58596496\">The <span data-type=\"term\">visible spectrum<\/span> is the portion of the larger <span data-type=\"term\">electromagnetic spectrum<\/span> that we can see. As <a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_Spectrum\">[link]<\/a> shows, the electromagnetic spectrum encompasses all of the electromagnetic radiation that occurs in our environment and includes gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared light, microwaves, and radio waves. The visible spectrum in humans is associated with wavelengths that range from 380 to 740 nm\u2014a very small distance, since a nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter. Other species can detect other portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. For instance, honeybees can see light in the ultraviolet range (Wakakuwa, Stavenga, &amp; Arikawa, 2007), and some snakes can detect infrared radiation in addition to more traditional visual light cues (Chen, Deng, Brauth, Ding, &amp; Tang, 2012; Hartline, Kass, &amp; Loop, 1978).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_Spectrum\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><div style=\"width: 985px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224712\/CNX_Psych_05_02_Spectrum.jpg\" alt=\"This illustration shows the wavelength, frequency, and size of objects across the electromagnetic spectrum.. At the top, various wavelengths are given in sequence from small to large, with a parallel illustration of a wave with increasing frequency. These are the provided wavelengths, measured in meters: \u201cGamma ray 10 to the negative twelfth power,\u201d \u201cx-ray 10 to the negative tenth power,\u201d ultraviolet 10 to the negative eighth power,\u201d \u201cvisible .5 times 10 to the negative sixth power,\u201d \u201cinfrared 10 to the negative fifth power,\u201d microwave 10 to the negative second power,\u201d and \u201cradio 10 cubed.\u201dAnother section is labeled \u201cAbout the size of\u201d and lists from left to right: \u201cAtomic nuclei,\u201d \u201cAtoms,\u201d \u201cMolecules,\u201d \u201cProtozoans,\u201d \u201cPinpoints,\u201d \u201cHoneybees,\u201d \u201cHumans,\u201d and \u201cBuildings\u201d with an illustration of each . At the bottom is a line labeled \u201cFrequency\u201d with the following measurements in hertz: 10 to the powers of 20, 18, 16, 15, 12, 8, and 4. From left to right the line changes in color from purple to red with the remaining colors of the visible spectrum in between.\" width=\"975\" height=\"404\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Light that is visible to humans makes up only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"fs-idp66263920\">In humans, light wavelength is associated with perception of color (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_VisSpec\">[link]<\/a>). Within the visible spectrum, our experience of red is associated with longer wavelengths, greens are intermediate, and blues and violets are shorter in wavelength. (An easy way to remember this is the mnemonic ROYGBIV: <strong>r<\/strong>ed, <strong>o<\/strong>range, <strong>y<\/strong>ellow, <strong>g<\/strong>reen, <strong>b<\/strong>lue, <strong>i<\/strong>ndigo, <strong>v<\/strong>iolet.) The amplitude of light waves is associated with our experience of brightness or intensity of color, with larger amplitudes appearing brighter.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_VisSpec\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><div style=\"width: 985px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224713\/CNX_Psych_05_02_VisSpec.jpg\" alt=\"A line provides Wavelength in nanometers for \u201c400,\u201d \u201c500,\u201d \u201c600,\u201d and \u201c700\u201d nanometers. Within this line are all of the colors of the visible spectrum. Below this line, labeled from left to right are \u201cCosmic radiation,\u201d \u201cGamma rays,\u201d \u201cX-rays,\u201d \u201cUltraviolet,\u201d then a small callout area for the line above containing the colors in the visual spectrum, followed by \u201cInfrared,\u201d \u201cTerahertz radiation,\u201d \u201cRadar,\u201d \u201cTelevision and radio broadcasting,\u201d and \u201cAC circuits.\u201d\" width=\"975\" height=\"186\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Different wavelengths of light are associated with our perception of different colors. (credit: modification of work by Johannes Ahlmann)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-idp5113616\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>SOUND WAVES<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm2640704\">Like light waves, the physical properties of sound waves are associated with various aspects of our perception of sound. The frequency of a sound wave is associated with our perception of that sound\u2019s <span data-type=\"term\">pitch<\/span>. High-frequency sound waves are perceived as high-pitched sounds, while low-frequency sound waves are perceived as low-pitched sounds. The audible range of sound frequencies is between 20 and 20000 Hz, with greatest sensitivity to those frequencies that fall in the middle of this range.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idp89513280\">As was the case with the visible spectrum, other species show differences in their audible ranges. For instance, chickens have a very limited audible range, from 125 to 2000 Hz. Mice have an audible range from 1000 to 91000 Hz, and the beluga whale\u2019s audible range is from 1000 to 123000 Hz. Our pet dogs and cats have audible ranges of about 70\u201345000 Hz and 45\u201364000 Hz, respectively (Strain, 2003).<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idp9306416\">The loudness of a given sound is closely associated with the amplitude of the sound wave. Higher amplitudes are associated with louder sounds. Loudness is measured in terms of <span data-type=\"term\">decibels (dB)<\/span>, a logarithmic unit of sound intensity. A typical conversation would correlate with 60 dB; a rock concert might check in at 120 dB (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#Figure_05_02_AudRange\">[link]<\/a>). A whisper 5 feet away or rustling leaves are at the low end of our hearing range; sounds like a window air conditioner, a normal conversation, and even heavy traffic or a vacuum cleaner are within a tolerable range. However, there is the potential for hearing damage from about 80 dB to 130 dB: These are sounds of a food processor, power lawnmower, heavy truck (25 feet away), subway train (20 feet away), live rock music, and a jackhammer. The threshold for pain is about 130 dB, a jet plane taking off or a revolver firing at close range (Dunkle, 1982).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"Figure_05_02_AudRange\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><div style=\"width: 985px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224715\/CNX_Psych_05_02_AudRange.jpg\" alt=\"This illustration has a vertical bar in the middle labeled Decibels (dB) numbered 0 to 140 in intervals of 20 from the bottom to the top. To the left of the bar, the \u201csound intensity\u201d of different sounds is labeled: \u201cHearing threshold\u201d is 0; \u201cWhisper\u201d is 30, \u201csoft music\u201d is 40, \u201cRisk of hearing loss\u201d is 110, \u201cpain threshold\u201d is 130, and \u201charmful\u201d is 140. To the right of the bar are photographs depicting \u201ccommon sound\u201d: At 20 decibels is a picture of rustling leaves; At 60 is two people talking, at 80 is a car, at 90 is a food processor, at 120 is a music concert, and at 130 are jets.\" width=\"975\" height=\"693\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">This figure illustrates the loudness of common sounds. (credit &#8220;planes&#8221;: modification of work by Max Pfandl; credit &#8220;crowd&#8221;: modification of work by Christian Holm\u00e9r; credit &#8220;blender&#8221;: modification of work by Jo Brodie; credit &#8220;car&#8221;: modification of work by NRMA New Cars\/Flickr; credit &#8220;talking&#8221;: modification of work by Joi Ito; credit &#8220;leaves&#8221;: modification of work by Aurelijus Valei\u0161a)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"fs-idm60185952\">Although wave amplitude is generally associated with loudness, there is some interaction between frequency and amplitude in our perception of loudness within the audible range. For example, a 10 Hz sound wave is inaudible no matter the amplitude of the wave. A 1000 Hz sound wave, on the other hand, would vary dramatically in terms of perceived loudness as the amplitude of the wave increased.<\/p>\n<div id=\"fs-idp12758112\" class=\"psychology link-to-learning textbox\" data-type=\"note\" data-label=\"Link To Learning\">\n<p><em><strong>Link to Learning<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm87835584\">Watch this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lynda.com\/Logic-Pro-tutorials\/perception-frequency-amplitude\/86649\/96460-4.html\" target=\"_blank\">brief video<\/a> demonstrating how frequency and amplitude interact in our perception of loudness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idp63422528\">Of course, different musical instruments can play the same musical note at the same level of loudness, yet they still sound quite different. This is known as the timbre of a sound. <span data-type=\"term\">Timbre<\/span> refers to a sound\u2019s purity, and it is affected by the complex interplay of frequency, amplitude, and timing of sound waves.<\/p>\n<div id=\"fs-idm1166160\" class=\"psychology link-to-learning textbox\" data-type=\"note\" data-label=\"Link To Learning\">\n<p><em><strong>Link to Learning<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm52437536\">Watch this <a href=\"http:\/\/www.howstuffworks.com\/videos\" target=\"_blank\">video<\/a> that provides additional information on sound waves.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-idm52636800\" class=\"summary\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h2>Summary<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm21712160\">Both light and sound can be described in terms of wave forms with physical characteristics like amplitude, wavelength, and timbre. Wavelength and frequency are inversely related so that longer waves have lower frequencies, and shorter waves have higher frequencies. In the visual system, a light wave\u2019s wavelength is generally associated with color, and its amplitude is associated with brightness. In the auditory system, a sound\u2019s frequency is associated with pitch, and its amplitude is associated with loudness.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-idm122916320\" class=\"review-questions\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/lumenoea.herokuapp.com\/assessments\/load?src_url=https:\/\/lumenoea.herokuapp.com\/api\/assessments\/824.xml&#38;results_end_point=https:\/\/lumenoea.herokuapp.com\/api&#38;assessment_id=824&#38;confidence_levels=true&#38;enable_start=true&#38;eid=https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/chapter\/waves-and-wavelengths\/\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:400px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-idm25780928\" class=\"critical-thinking\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\n<h3>Self Check Questions<\/h3>\n<section id=\"self-check-questions\">\n<section id=\"fs-idm25780928\" class=\"critical-thinking\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h4 data-type=\"title\"><em><strong>Critical Thinking Question<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n<div id=\"fs-idm59369024\" data-type=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm67871344\" data-type=\"problem\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm63284816\">1. Why do you think other species have such different ranges of sensitivity for both visual and auditory stimuli compared to humans?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm64989984\" data-type=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm140704528\" data-type=\"problem\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm90062112\">2. Why do you think humans are especially sensitive to sounds with frequencies that fall in the middle portion of the audible range?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"fs-idm59868416\" class=\"personal-application\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h4 data-type=\"title\"><em><strong>Personal Application Question<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n<div id=\"fs-idm61201808\" data-type=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm2626016\" data-type=\"problem\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm56237920\">3. If you grew up with a family pet, then you have surely noticed that they often seem to hear things that you don\u2019t hear. Now that you\u2019ve read this section, you probably have some insight as to why this may be. How would you explain this to a friend who never had the opportunity to take a class like this?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\n<section id=\"self-check-answers\">\n<div data-type=\"exercise\">\n<h3>Answers<\/h3>\n<div id=\"fs-idm86607072\" data-type=\"solution\">\n<p>1. Other species have evolved to best suit their particular environmental niches. For example, the honeybee relies on flowering plants for survival. Seeing in the ultraviolet light might prove especially helpful when locating flowers. Once a flower is found, the ultraviolet rays point to the center of the flower where the pollen and nectar are contained. Similar arguments could be made for infrared detection in snakes as well as for the differences in audible ranges of the species described in this section.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm69591376\">2. Once again, one could make an evolutionary argument here. Given that the human voice falls in this middle range and the importance of communication among humans, one could argue that it is quite adaptive to have an audible range that centers on this particular type of stimulus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-success\">\n<section id=\"glossary\">\n<h3>Glossary<\/h3>\n<div id=\"fs-idm67269216\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">amplitude\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>height of a wave<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm75103440\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">decibel (dB)\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>logarithmic unit of sound intensity<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm86600656\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">electromagnetic spectrum\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>all the electromagnetic radiation that occurs in our environment<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm98740400\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">frequency\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>number of waves that pass a given point in a given time period<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm88222768\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">hertz (Hz)\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>cycles per second; measure of frequency<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm59957328\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">peak\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>(also, crest) highest point of a wave<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm39222352\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">pitch\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>perception of a sound\u2019s frequency<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm10555952\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">timbre\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>sound\u2019s purity<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm88359392\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">trough\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>lowest point of a wave<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idp17396208\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">visible spectrum\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that we can see<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm78642400\" data-type=\"definition\"><strong><span data-type=\"term\">wavelength\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong>length of a wave from one peak to the next peak<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div data-type=\"term\">\n<h2><\/h2>\n<div id=\"fs-idm86607072\" data-type=\"solution\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-148\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Psychology. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: OpenStax College. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/4abf04bf-93a0-45c3-9cbc-2cefd46e68cc@4.100:1\/Psychology\">http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/4abf04bf-93a0-45c3-9cbc-2cefd46e68cc@4.100:1\/Psychology<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Download for free at http:\/\/cnx.org\/content\/col11629\/latest\/.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":18,"menu_order":4,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Psychology\",\"author\":\"OpenStax College\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/4abf04bf-93a0-45c3-9cbc-2cefd46e68cc@4.100:1\/Psychology\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"Download for free at http:\/\/cnx.org\/content\/col11629\/latest\/.\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-148","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":514,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1765,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/148\/revisions\/1765"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/514"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/148\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=148"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=148"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-herkimer-introtopsych-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}