What determines the pitch of a sound?

• A. The frequency of the vibrating source; higher frequency means higher pitch
• B. The amplitude of the vibration
• C. The medium through which the sound travels
• D. The distance from the source

Answer: (A)

Pitch is determined by how fast the source vibrates—the frequency. When something vibrates more quickly, it makes more cycles per second, and we hear a higher note. That’s why tightening a guitar string or shortening it raises the pitch—the vibration frequency increases. The amplitude tells how loud the sound is, not how high it sounds. The medium mainly affects how fast sound travels and can influence tone quality, while distance from the source changes loudness with distance but not the pitch in normal conditions.