Lexicon Frequency

The frequency indicates how often a regular event is repeated. The unit for frequency is the Hz, named after the physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz. An event that repeats once every second has the frequency 1 Hz. Events that repeat 1000 times per second have the frequency 1 kHz.

In the case of vibrations, the frequency indicates how many times per second a complete cycle of vibrations repeats. In the case of acoustic vibrations, such as those reproduced by a Loudspeaker, the frequency thus indicates how many times per second the membrane moves forward or backward.

Sound frequencies audible by humans occur roughly in the range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The exact limits vary from person to person, especially the upper one, and they also change with the person's age.

See also:

• Wikipedia article frequency