Which statement about audibility is true?

Which statement about audibility is true?

• A. All frequencies are audible.
• B. Humans can hear between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz.
• C. Humans can hear below 20 Hz.
• D. Humans can hear above 20 kHz only.

Answer: (B)

Audibility refers to the range of sound frequencies a typical human ear can perceive. For a healthy young adult, that range is about 20 Hz up to around 20,000 Hz (20 kHz). Frequencies below 20 Hz are considered infrasonic and are not heard as distinct tones, while frequencies above 20 kHz are ultrasonic and lie outside normal human hearing. So the statement that humans can hear between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz is the true description of typical audibility. The other statements misrepresent the range: not all frequencies are audible, humans generally cannot hear below 20 Hz, and we do not hear above 20 kHz.

Audibility refers to the range of sound frequencies a typical human ear can perceive. For a healthy young adult, that range is about 20 Hz up to around 20,000 Hz (20 kHz). Frequencies below 20 Hz are considered infrasonic and are not heard as distinct tones, while frequencies above 20 kHz are ultrasonic and lie outside normal human hearing. So the statement that humans can hear between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz is the true description of typical audibility. The other statements misrepresent the range: not all frequencies are audible, humans generally cannot hear below 20 Hz, and we do not hear above 20 kHz.