Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- ART. 197 Density of Nitrogen
- ART. 198 On the Intensity of Light reflected from Water and Mercury at nearly Perpendicular Incidence
- ART. 199 On the Interference Bands of Approximately Homogeneous Light; in a Letter to Prof. A. Michelson
- ART. 200 On the Influence of Obstacles arranged in Rectangular Order upon the Properties of a Medium
- ART. 201 On the Densities of the Principal Gases
- ART. 202 Interference Bands and their Applications
- ART. 203 On the Theory of Stellar Scintillation
- ART. 204 Astronomical Photography
- ART. 205 Grinding and Polishing of Glass Surfaces
- ART. 206 On the Reflection of Sound or Light from a Corrugated Surface
- ART. 207 On a Simple Interference Arrangement
- ART. 208 On the Flow of Viscous Liquids, especially in Two Dimensions
- ART. 209 The Scientific Work of Tyndall
- ART. 210 On an Anomaly encountered in Determinations of the Density of Nitrogen Gas
- ART. 211 On the Minimum Current audible in the Telephone
- ART. 212 An Attempt at a Quantitative Theory of the Telephone
- ART. 213 On the Amplitude of Aerial Waves which are but just Audible
- ART. 214 Argon, a New Constituent of the Atmosphere. By LORD RAYLEIGH, Sec. R.S., and PROFESSOR WILLIAM RAMSAY, F.R.S.
- ART. 215 Argon
- ART. 216 On the Stability or Instability of Certain Fluid Motions. III
- ART. 217 On the Propagation of Waves upon the Plane Surface separating Two Portions of Fluid of Different Vorticities
- ART. 218 On some Physical Properties of Argon and Helium
- ART. 219 On the Amount of Argon and Helium contained in the Gas from the Bath Springs
- ART. 220 The Reproduction of Diffraction Gratings
- ART. 221 The Electrical Resistance of Alloys
- ART. 222 On the Theory of Optical Images, with Special Reference to the Microscope
- ART. 223 Theoretical Considerations respecting the Separation of Gases by Diffusion and Similar Processes
- ART. 224 The Theory of Solutions
- ART. 225 Observations on the Oxidation of Nitrogen Gas
- ART. 226 On the Passage of Electric Waves through Tubes, or the Vibrations of Dielectric Cylinders
- ART. 227 On the Passage of Waves through Apertures in Plane Screens, and Allied Problems
- ART. 228 The Limits of Audition
- ART. 229 On the Measurement of Alternate Currents by means of an obliquely situated Galvanometer Needle, with a Method of Determining the Angle of Lag
- ART. 230 On the Incidence of Aerial and Electric Waves upon Small Obstacles in the Form of Ellipsoids or Elliptic Cylinders, and on the Passage of Electric Waves through a Circular Aperture in a Conducting Screen
- ART. 231 On the Propagation of Electric Waves along Cylindrical Conductors of any Section
- ART. 232 The Electro-Chemical Equivalent of Silver
- ART. 233 On an Optical Device for the Intensification of Photographic Pictures
- ART. 234 On the Viscosity of Hydrogen as affected by Moisture
- ART. 235 On the Propagation of Waves along Connected Systems of Similar Bodies
- ART. 236 On the Densities of Carbonic Oxide, Carbonic Anhydride, and Nitrous Oxide
- ART. 237 Röntgen Rays and Ordinary Light
- ART. 238 Note on the Pressure of Radiation, showing an Apparent Failure of the Usual Electromagnetic Equations
- ART. 239 Some Experiments with the Telephone
- ART. 240 Liquid Air at one Operation
- ART. 241 On the Character of the Impurity found in Nitrogen Gas Derived from Urea [with an Appendix containing details of Refractometer]
- ART. 242 On Iso-periodic Systems
- ART. 243 On James Bernoulli's Theorem in Probabilities
- ART. 244 On the Cooling of Air by Radiation and Conduction, and on the Propagation of Sound
- ART. 245 On the Conduction of Heat in a Spherical Mass of Air confined by Walls at a Constant Temperature
- ART. 246 Transparency and Opacity
- ART. 247 On the Transmission of Light through an Atmosphere containing Small Particles in Suspension, and on the Origin of the Blue of the Sky
- ART. 248 The Interferometer
- ART. 249 On the Calculation of the Frequency of Vibration of a System in its Gravest Mode, with an Example from Hydrodynamics
- ART. 250 The Theory of Anomalous Dispersion
- ART. 251 Investigations in Capillarity
- ART. 252 The Mutual Induction of Coaxial Helices
- ART. 253 The Law of Partition of Kinetic Energy
- ART. 254 On the Viscosity of Argon as affected by Temperature
- ART. 255 On the Passage of Argon through Thin Films of Indiarubber
- ART. 256 On the Weight of Hydrogen desiccated by Liquid Air
- ART. 257 The Mechanical Principles of Flight
- ART. 258 On the Law of Reciprocity in Diffuse Reflexion
- ART. 259 On the Viscosity of Gases as Affected by Temperature
- ART. 260 Remarks upon the Law of Complete Radiation
- ART. 261 On Approximately Simple Waves
- ART. 262 On a Theorem analogous to the Virial Theorem
- ART. 263 On Balfour Stewart's Theory of the Connexion between Radiation and Absorption
- ART. 264 Spectroscopic Notes concerning the Gases of the Atmosphere
- ART. 265 On the Stresses in Solid Bodies due to Unequal Heating, and on the Double Refraction resulting therefrom
- ART. 266 On a New Manometer, and on the Law of the Pressure of Gases between 1·5 and 0·01 Millimetres of Mercury
- ART. 267 On a Problem relating to the Propagation of Sound between Parallel Walls
- ART. 268 Polish
- ART. 269 Does Chemical Transformation influence Weight?
- ART. 270 Acoustical Notes. VI
- ART. 271 On the Magnetic Rotation of Light and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
- ART. 272 On the Induction-Coil
- CLASSIFIED TABLE OF CONTENTS
- INDEX OF NAMES
- Plate section
ART. 228 - The Limits of Audition
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2011
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- ART. 197 Density of Nitrogen
- ART. 198 On the Intensity of Light reflected from Water and Mercury at nearly Perpendicular Incidence
- ART. 199 On the Interference Bands of Approximately Homogeneous Light; in a Letter to Prof. A. Michelson
- ART. 200 On the Influence of Obstacles arranged in Rectangular Order upon the Properties of a Medium
- ART. 201 On the Densities of the Principal Gases
- ART. 202 Interference Bands and their Applications
- ART. 203 On the Theory of Stellar Scintillation
- ART. 204 Astronomical Photography
- ART. 205 Grinding and Polishing of Glass Surfaces
- ART. 206 On the Reflection of Sound or Light from a Corrugated Surface
- ART. 207 On a Simple Interference Arrangement
- ART. 208 On the Flow of Viscous Liquids, especially in Two Dimensions
- ART. 209 The Scientific Work of Tyndall
- ART. 210 On an Anomaly encountered in Determinations of the Density of Nitrogen Gas
- ART. 211 On the Minimum Current audible in the Telephone
- ART. 212 An Attempt at a Quantitative Theory of the Telephone
- ART. 213 On the Amplitude of Aerial Waves which are but just Audible
- ART. 214 Argon, a New Constituent of the Atmosphere. By LORD RAYLEIGH, Sec. R.S., and PROFESSOR WILLIAM RAMSAY, F.R.S.
- ART. 215 Argon
- ART. 216 On the Stability or Instability of Certain Fluid Motions. III
- ART. 217 On the Propagation of Waves upon the Plane Surface separating Two Portions of Fluid of Different Vorticities
- ART. 218 On some Physical Properties of Argon and Helium
- ART. 219 On the Amount of Argon and Helium contained in the Gas from the Bath Springs
- ART. 220 The Reproduction of Diffraction Gratings
- ART. 221 The Electrical Resistance of Alloys
- ART. 222 On the Theory of Optical Images, with Special Reference to the Microscope
- ART. 223 Theoretical Considerations respecting the Separation of Gases by Diffusion and Similar Processes
- ART. 224 The Theory of Solutions
- ART. 225 Observations on the Oxidation of Nitrogen Gas
- ART. 226 On the Passage of Electric Waves through Tubes, or the Vibrations of Dielectric Cylinders
- ART. 227 On the Passage of Waves through Apertures in Plane Screens, and Allied Problems
- ART. 228 The Limits of Audition
- ART. 229 On the Measurement of Alternate Currents by means of an obliquely situated Galvanometer Needle, with a Method of Determining the Angle of Lag
- ART. 230 On the Incidence of Aerial and Electric Waves upon Small Obstacles in the Form of Ellipsoids or Elliptic Cylinders, and on the Passage of Electric Waves through a Circular Aperture in a Conducting Screen
- ART. 231 On the Propagation of Electric Waves along Cylindrical Conductors of any Section
- ART. 232 The Electro-Chemical Equivalent of Silver
- ART. 233 On an Optical Device for the Intensification of Photographic Pictures
- ART. 234 On the Viscosity of Hydrogen as affected by Moisture
- ART. 235 On the Propagation of Waves along Connected Systems of Similar Bodies
- ART. 236 On the Densities of Carbonic Oxide, Carbonic Anhydride, and Nitrous Oxide
- ART. 237 Röntgen Rays and Ordinary Light
- ART. 238 Note on the Pressure of Radiation, showing an Apparent Failure of the Usual Electromagnetic Equations
- ART. 239 Some Experiments with the Telephone
- ART. 240 Liquid Air at one Operation
- ART. 241 On the Character of the Impurity found in Nitrogen Gas Derived from Urea [with an Appendix containing details of Refractometer]
- ART. 242 On Iso-periodic Systems
- ART. 243 On James Bernoulli's Theorem in Probabilities
- ART. 244 On the Cooling of Air by Radiation and Conduction, and on the Propagation of Sound
- ART. 245 On the Conduction of Heat in a Spherical Mass of Air confined by Walls at a Constant Temperature
- ART. 246 Transparency and Opacity
- ART. 247 On the Transmission of Light through an Atmosphere containing Small Particles in Suspension, and on the Origin of the Blue of the Sky
- ART. 248 The Interferometer
- ART. 249 On the Calculation of the Frequency of Vibration of a System in its Gravest Mode, with an Example from Hydrodynamics
- ART. 250 The Theory of Anomalous Dispersion
- ART. 251 Investigations in Capillarity
- ART. 252 The Mutual Induction of Coaxial Helices
- ART. 253 The Law of Partition of Kinetic Energy
- ART. 254 On the Viscosity of Argon as affected by Temperature
- ART. 255 On the Passage of Argon through Thin Films of Indiarubber
- ART. 256 On the Weight of Hydrogen desiccated by Liquid Air
- ART. 257 The Mechanical Principles of Flight
- ART. 258 On the Law of Reciprocity in Diffuse Reflexion
- ART. 259 On the Viscosity of Gases as Affected by Temperature
- ART. 260 Remarks upon the Law of Complete Radiation
- ART. 261 On Approximately Simple Waves
- ART. 262 On a Theorem analogous to the Virial Theorem
- ART. 263 On Balfour Stewart's Theory of the Connexion between Radiation and Absorption
- ART. 264 Spectroscopic Notes concerning the Gases of the Atmosphere
- ART. 265 On the Stresses in Solid Bodies due to Unequal Heating, and on the Double Refraction resulting therefrom
- ART. 266 On a New Manometer, and on the Law of the Pressure of Gases between 1·5 and 0·01 Millimetres of Mercury
- ART. 267 On a Problem relating to the Propagation of Sound between Parallel Walls
- ART. 268 Polish
- ART. 269 Does Chemical Transformation influence Weight?
- ART. 270 Acoustical Notes. VI
- ART. 271 On the Magnetic Rotation of Light and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
- ART. 272 On the Induction-Coil
- CLASSIFIED TABLE OF CONTENTS
- INDEX OF NAMES
- Plate section
Summary
In order to be audible, sounds must be restricted to a certain range of pitch. Thus a sound from a hydrogen flame vibrating in a large resonator was inaudible, as being too low in pitch. On the other side, a bird-call, giving about 20,000 vibrations per second, was inaudible, although a sensitive flame readily gave evidence of the vibrations and permitted the wave-length to be measured. Near the limit of hearing the ear is very rapidly fatigued; a sound in the first instance loud enough to be disagreeable, disappearing after a few seconds. A momentary intermission, due, for example, to a rapid passage of the hand past the ear, again allows the sound to be heard.
The magnitude of vibration necessary for audition at a favourable pitch is an important subject for investigation. The earliest estimate is that of Boltzmann. An easy road to a superior limit is to find the amount of energy required to blow a whistle and the distance to which the sound can be heard (e.g. one-half a mile). Experiments upon this plan gave for the amplitude 8 × 10−8cm., a distance which would need to be multiplied 100 times in order to make it visible in any possible microscope. Better results may be obtained by using a vibrating fork as a source of sound. The energy resident in the fork at any time may be deduced from the amplitude as observed under a microscope.
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- Scientific Papers , pp. 297 - 298Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2009First published in: 1903