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The human range is commonly given as 20 to 20,000 Hz, although there is considerable variation between individuals, especially at high frequencies, and a gradual loss of sensitivity to higher frequencies with age is considered normal. Sensitivity also varies with frequency, as shown by equal-loudness contours.
20 Hz is considered the normal low-frequency limit of human hearing. When pure sine waves are reproduced under ideal conditions and at very high volume, a human listener will be able to identify tones as low as 12 Hz. [38] Below 10 Hz it is possible to perceive the single cycles of the sound, along with a sensation of pressure at the eardrums.
An audio frequency or audible frequency (AF) is a periodic vibration whose frequency is audible to the average human. The SI unit of frequency is the hertz (Hz). It is the property of sound that most determines pitch. [1] The generally accepted standard hearing range for humans is 20 to 20,000 Hz.
The human auditory system is sensitive to frequencies from about 20 Hz to a maximum of around 20,000 Hz, although the upper hearing limit decreases with age. Within this range, the human ear is most sensitive between 2 and 5 kHz, largely due to the resonance of the ear canal and the transfer function of the ossicles of the middle ear.
Ultrasound is sound with frequencies greater than 20 kilohertz. [1] This frequency is the approximate upper audible limit of human hearing in healthy young adults. The physical principles of acoustic waves apply to any frequency range, including ultrasound. Ultrasonic devices operate with frequencies from 20 kHz up to several gigahertz.
For frequencies below 10 Hz, the pigeon threshold is at about 55 dB which is at least 50 dB more sensitive than humans. [4] Pigeons are able to discriminate small frequency differences in sounds at between 1 Hz and 20 Hz, with sensitivity ranging from a 1% shift at 20 Hz to a 7% shift at 1 Hz. [14]
An infant's ear is able to perceive frequencies ranging from 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz; the average adult human can hear sounds between 20 Hz and 16 000 Hz. [11] The range of ultrasound , infrasound and other physical vibrations such as molecular and atomic vibrations extends from a few femtohertz [ 12 ] into the terahertz range [ c ] and beyond.
The audible frequency range for humans is typically given as being between about 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz (20 kHz), though the high frequency limit usually reduces with age. Other species have different hearing ranges.