1/f noise facts for kids
1/f noise or pink noise is a special kind of signal or sound. It's called "pink" because, like the color pink, it's a mix of all colors (or frequencies) but with more of the lower ones. In science, it's a mathematical idea that describes how the strength (or "power") of a signal changes with its speed of vibration (or "frequency").
Contents
What is Pink Noise?
Pink noise is a type of signal where the strength of the signal gets weaker as its frequency gets higher. Think of it like this: if a sound vibrates slowly (low frequency), it's louder. If it vibrates very fast (high frequency), it's quieter. This relationship is called a "power law."
How is Pink Noise Different?
You might have heard of "white noise." White noise is like a waterfall, where all frequencies have the same strength. Pink noise is different because it has more power in the lower frequencies. This makes it sound more "natural" to our ears.
Pink Noise vs. White Noise
- White noise: All frequencies have the same power. It sounds like a constant hiss or static.
- Pink noise: The power decreases as the frequency goes up. It sounds more balanced and less harsh than white noise.
Where Can We Find Pink Noise?
Pink noise is found in many places in nature and in things we create. It's often heard in sounds that seem random but have a pattern.
Examples of Pink Noise
- Nature sounds: The gentle rustle of leaves, the steady flow of a river, or even the sound of a heartbeat can have pink noise characteristics.
- Music: Many musical rhythms and melodies show patterns similar to pink noise.
- Electronics: It's also found in the background noise of many electronic devices.
- Biology: Even the way our brain cells fire can sometimes show patterns of pink noise.
Images for kids
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Relative intensity of pink noise (left) and white noise (right) on an FFT spectrogram with the vertical axis being linear frequency.
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Noise curves for a selection of gravitational-wave detectors as a function of frequency.
See also
In Spanish: Ruido rosa para niños
