Physics 2010
Belmont University
Teacher: Scott Hawley Page 1 of 3
1. Why does one loud violin sound different from ten violins playing in unison (such as the total
sound intensity level is the same as for the single violin)?
i. The multiple violins will likely be playing sounds with random phase shifts with
respect to the other violin’s sounds, whereas for a single violin there will be but
one signal. Also, variations in violin contruction may result in different
resonance curves for the different violins, resulting in different emphases in the
harmonic content of the sound.
2. (B&S Q4.5) p116
a. What are white noise and colored noise? Give examples and describe how they sound
b. Draw graphs of intensity versus frequency for white noise and pink noise.
i. Part a
ii. White noise is equal intensity (not amplitude, because intensity scales as the
square of the amplitude and the square of the frequency) at all frequencies.
Colored noise is like white noise except there is a region of the frequency
spectrum with higher intensity than at other frequencies. An example of white
noise is the noise from a television when there is no signal, which sounds like
“static”. A colored noise would sound static-y but with a certain frequency range
emphasized.
iii. Part b
iv. Graphs
1. White noise (made in MSPAINT)
