A sound with a frequency of 10 hertz would be categorized as which type?

A sound with a frequency of 10 hertz would be categorized as which type?

• A. Ultrasonic
• B. Infrasonic
• C. Audible
• D. Subsonic

Answer: (B)

Frequency ranges relative to human hearing determine how we categorize sounds. Humans typically hear from about 20 Hz to 20 kHz. A 10 Hz tone sits well below that threshold, so it is infrasonic—the category for sounds too low to be heard. Ultrasonic covers tones well above the audible range, while audible refers to what we can hear. Subsonic is not the standard term used for this acoustic range, so infrasonic is the precise label for a 10 Hz sound.

Frequency ranges relative to human hearing determine how we categorize sounds. Humans typically hear from about 20 Hz to 20 kHz. A 10 Hz tone sits well below that threshold, so it is infrasonic—the category for sounds too low to be heard. Ultrasonic covers tones well above the audible range, while audible refers to what we can hear. Subsonic is not the standard term used for this acoustic range, so infrasonic is the precise label for a 10 Hz sound.