Computer Science : S1 : L8 : Representing Sound

Sound is about vibration. Any sound requires a source, such as a human voice or musical instrument and a substance to travel through, for example:

• a liquid (such as water)

• a solid (such as the seafloor)

• a gas (such as air)

The following image demonstrates how sound files are created when they are inputted through devices such as a microphone and then used on a digital device.

Sample Rate - Sample rate is the number of samples of audio carried per second, measured in Hz or kHz

Sample Resolution- The sample resolution is the number of bits used to represent each sample.

Sound Wave - A sound wave is the pattern of disturbance caused by the movement of energy travelling through a medium

Sound Sampling - Audio sampling is the process of transforming a musical source into a digital file.

Sound File Size - To get a rough idea of how big a file is going to be, you can use these calculations: Sample rate (in hertz to kilohertz) x Bit rate x Number of channels x Number of seconds = total bits.