Why aren’t noise cancelling headphones as effective in cancelling high pitch sounds as their in cancelling low pitch sounds?
The way noise cancelling works is that it has a microphone pick up some noise and then a speaker produce that noise phase shifted 180 degrees. The resulting waveforms precisely cancel out. However, the microphone can only pick up the noise as it's passing by and there's a delay before it can gene…
The Short Answer
The way noise cancelling works is that it has a microphone pick up some noise and then a speaker produce that noise phase shifted 180 degrees. The resulting waveforms precisely cancel out. However, the microphone can only pick up the noise as it's passing by and there's a delay before it can generate the phase-shifted sound. This means that you have to 'guess' what the future will hold in some sense. High frequency waves embed more information and shift more often, meaning it's a lot harder to make guesses about them than low frequency waves.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Noise, microphone, pick
This explanation focuses on noise, microphone, pick and spans 94 words across 5 sentences. At 31% above the average Biology explanation (72 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “The way noise cancelling works is that it has a microphone pick up some noise and then a speaker produce that noise phas” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 5 connected points.
How This Compares in Biology
Ranked #144 of 500 Biology questions by answer depth (top 30%). This falls in the detailed tier — above average depth. The explanation goes beyond surface-level but keeps things accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why noise cancelling headphones as effective in cancelling high pitch sounds as their in cancelling low pitch sounds?
The way noise cancelling works is that it has a microphone pick up some noise and then a speaker produce that noise phase shifted 180 degrees. The resulting waveforms precisely cancel out. However, the microphone can only pick up the noise as it's…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Biology questions?
This is an above-average answer at 94 words, ranked #144 of 500 Biology questions by depth. The key concepts covered are noise, microphone, pick.
What approach does this answer take to explain noise cancelling headphones as effective in cancelling high ?
The explanation uses contrasting perspectives across 94 words. It is categorized under Biology and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.