How Sound Travels

Sound is made by vibrations — something moving back and forth very quickly. Those vibrations travel through the air (or water, or solid objects) as sound waves until they reach our ears.

Pitch

Pitch is how high or low a sound is. Fast vibrations make a high pitch (like a small bell); slow vibrations make a low pitch (like a big drum).

Volume

Volume is how loud a sound is, and depends on the size of the vibration — a gentle tap makes a quiet sound, a hard hit makes a loud one.

Practice

Would a tightly stretched guitar string or a loose one make a higher pitch?