How is frequency related to pitch?

How is frequency related to pitch?

• A. Higher frequency corresponds to higher pitch.
• B. Higher frequency corresponds to lower pitch.
• C. Frequency and pitch are unrelated.
• D. Pitch causes frequency to decrease.

Answer: (A)

Frequency determines pitch: as the vibration rate of a sound wave increases, the perceived pitch rises. The auditory system maps frequency along the cochlea (tonotopy), with higher frequencies activating the base and lower frequencies the apex, and temporal coding helps especially at lower frequencies. This direct, monotonic relationship is why a higher frequency sound is heard as a higher pitch. The other statements contradict how pitch relates to the physical property of frequency or misstate cause and effect.

Frequency determines pitch: as the vibration rate of a sound wave increases, the perceived pitch rises. The auditory system maps frequency along the cochlea (tonotopy), with higher frequencies activating the base and lower frequencies the apex, and temporal coding helps especially at lower frequencies. This direct, monotonic relationship is why a higher frequency sound is heard as a higher pitch. The other statements contradict how pitch relates to the physical property of frequency or misstate cause and effect.