A musical instrument and a tuning fork both produce a sound at 440 Hz — but the violin sounds 'rich' while the tuning fork sounds 'pure'. The technical name for this difference in sound quality at the same fundamental frequency is:
ALoudness
BIntensity
CTimbre
DPitch
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Timbre
Timbre (tone colour) distinguishes sounds of the same fundamental frequency and loudness. A pure tone — like a tuning fork or whistle — has a single frequency. A musical note (violin, voice, sitar) is the fundamental plus a unique pattern of overtones at higher frequencies. The overtone pattern depends on the instrument's shape, material, and method of excitation.
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