Which one of the following statements is not correct?
The response of the ear to sound of increasing intensity is approximately logarithmic.
The sensitivity of the human ear does not vary with the frequency of sound.
When two or more waves traverse the same medium, the displacement of any element of the medium is the algebraic sum of the displacements due to each wave.
Longitudinal waves can travel in all media—solids, liquids and gases.
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2016
– Statement B is incorrect: The human ear’s sensitivity is highly dependent on frequency. It is most sensitive to frequencies in the range of 2 kHz to 5 kHz and less sensitive to very low or very high frequencies within the audible range (typically 20 Hz to 20 kHz). This varying sensitivity is represented by equal-loudness contours (Fletcher-Munson curves or ISO 226 curves).
– Statement C is correct: The principle of superposition states that when multiple waves pass through the same medium, the net displacement at any point is the vector sum of the displacements caused by each individual wave. This applies to sound waves.
– Statement D is correct: Longitudinal waves, like sound waves, can travel through solids, liquids, and gases because these media can support compressions and rarefactions. Transverse waves, on the other hand, require a medium that can sustain shear forces, typically solids or the surface of liquids.