Sound: Physics and Perception
Visual Arts R6020
Monday 1-3:30pm, Room 320H Prentis Hall
Fall 2015
hello.
Professor: Douglas Repetto [douglas at music columbia edu]
TA: Frank Spigner [fas2145 at columbia.edu]
hello.

Sound: Physics and Perception

Notes from class: September 21st, 2015

  • noisy crossing (for a group in a room)
    Douglas Repetto

    move to the edges
    loud white noise
    eyes closed
    listen
    slowly cross over

  • Sound as a phenomenon (broad to narrow)
    • change
    • change over time
    • 1 dimensional change over time
    • 1 dimensional difference over time
    • not monotonic
    • motion
    • things changing position
    • things changing position non-monotonically
    • change that propagates through a medium or mediums
    • a signal, rather than a material
    • a signal received at a distance/action at a distance
    • pressure
    • non monotonic change in pressure in a medium
    • change in pressure received at a distance
    • vibration
    • vibration received at a distance
    • can non-living things "perceive" sound?
    • change in pressure perceived by a creature
    • no ears yet!
    • change in pressure received by an eardrum or other "hearing organ"
    • a physiological signal
    • a psychological signal

  • Wolfram Alpha is good for comparisons and quick calculations: speed of sound in aluminum vs iron