While using a couple of tuning forks to demonstrate beats to some of my
students, I decided to hold the 128 Hz fork near one ear and the 125 Hz
fork near the other ear to check for beats. Pleasantly, I heard 3 beats per
second. I don't think that these could be the result of superposition of
the two compression waves (don't even start with the airhead blonde jokes!)
It is my hypothesis that these beats result from superposition of the
resulting electrical signals which the auditory nerves send to the brain.
Has anyone else observed this phenomenon? It is pretty cool. I would like
to try this with an audiologist's equipment. Just wanted to know what the
phys-l folk thought. It's probably not really new at all -- jut new to me.
See ya',
Cherie 8-)
Cherie Bibo Lehman Physics Teacher
cblehman@cidmac.ecn.purdue.edu West Lafayette Jr-Sr High School
(w)317-775-1300 West Lafayette IN 47906
(fax)317-775-1375
"All of physics is either impossible or trivial. It is impossible until
you understand it, and then it becomes trivial."
Ernest Rutherford