AAMC FL Practice Exam

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Study for the AAMC FL Exam. Prepare with comprehensive flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each equipped with hints and explanations. Gear up for your medical school entrance exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What does amplitude control in a sound wave?

The frequency of the sound
The volume of the sound
The pitch of the sound
The resonance of the sound

The correct answer is: The volume of the sound

Amplitude in a sound wave refers to the maximum displacement of the wave from its rest position. It is a measure of the strength or intensity of the wave. In the context of sound, greater amplitude leads to louder sounds, while smaller amplitude corresponds to softer sounds. Thus, amplitude directly influences the volume of the sound that we perceive. The other aspects of sound, such as frequency, pitch, and resonance, are determined by different characteristics of the sound wave. Frequency relates to how many wave cycles pass a point in a given time period and is associated with the pitch of the sound; higher frequencies result in higher pitches. Resonance pertains to the natural frequency at which an object vibrates and how it amplifies sound, but it is separate from amplitude. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify why amplitude is specifically linked to volume in sound waves.