Question

Suppose a piano tuner hears three beats per second when listening to the combined sound from his tuning fork and the piano note being tuned. After slightly tightening the string, he hears five beats per second. Should the string be loosened or tightened?

Name: Problem 91, Chapter 10: Conceptual Physical Science, (5th Edition)
Uploaded: 2020-04-03T21:47:18-08:00
Duration: 27 s
Channel: Eric Mockensturm
Description: Suppose a piano tuner hears three beats per second when listening to the combined sound from his tuning fork and the piano note being tuned. After slightly tightening the string, he hears five beats per second. Should the string be loosened or tightened?

    Suppose a piano tuner hears three beats per second when listening to the combined sound from his tuning fork and the piano note being tuned. After slightly tightening the string, he hears five beats per second. Should the string be loosened or tightened?

Conceptual Physical Science, (5th Edition)

Paul G. Hewitt, John… 5th Edition

Chapter 10, Problem 91

Instant Answer

Solved by Expert Eric Mockensturm

04/03/2020

Step 1

Step 1: First, we need to understand that the number of beats per second is related to the difference in frequency between the tuning fork and the piano note. Show more…

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Suppose a piano tuner hears three beats per second when listening to the combined sound from his tuning fork and the piano note being tuned. After slightly tightening the string, he hears five beats per second. Should the string be loosened or tightened?

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Key Concepts

Beat Frequency

Beat frequency is the result of two sound waves with nearly identical frequencies interfering with each other, producing a pulsation at a rate equal to the absolute difference between the frequencies. This concept is used to measure small differences in pitch between a reference tone and a sound being tuned, making it a valuable tool in musical tuning.

Relationship Between String Tension and Frequency

The frequency at which a string vibrates is affected by its tension, length, and mass per unit length, with tension being a key factor. Increasing the tension (tightening the string) raises the frequency and pitch, while decreasing the tension (loosening the string) lowers the frequency. Understanding this relationship is crucial for adjusting the pitch of stringed instruments accurately during tuning.

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