Mean free path: Difference between revisions

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If the beat rate is less than the lowest frequency,beats are distinct, and the interval sounds like a "wahwah" instead of a true sound pair.

If humans could hear to the mean free path limit, this would limit our perception range to <math>\frac{5\cdot10^9 \ln{2}}{16}</math> or about '''216 million-EDO'''. This corresponds to a step size of about 5.5 x 10<sup>-6</sup> cents, which is roughly the size of the [[Unnoticeable comma|unnoticeable]] rascal comma, [-7470 2791 1312⟩. Playing in a temperament which ~~does not temper out~~ this ~~comma~~ is physically impossible without beating interference on all notes.

If humans could hear to the mean free path limit, this would limit our perception range to <math>\frac{5\cdot10^9 \ln{2}}{16}</math> or about '''216 million-EDO'''. This corresponds to a step size of about 5.5 x 10<sup>-6</sup> cents, which is roughly the size of the [[Unnoticeable comma|unnoticeable]] rascal comma, [-7470 2791 1312⟩. Playing in a temperament which makes a distinction for intervals this small is physically impossible without beating interference on all notes.

This being said, the "chunky" nature of real gases will cause problems well before the sound wavelength will attain mean free path.

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 If the beat rate is less than the lowest frequency,beats are distinct, and the interval sounds like a "wahwah" instead of a true sound pair.
-If humans could hear to the mean free path limit, this would limit our perception range to <math>\frac{5\cdot10^9 \ln{2}}{16}</math> or about '''216 million-EDO'''. This corresponds to a step size of about 5.5 x 10<sup>-6</sup> cents, which is roughly the size of the [[Unnoticeable comma|unnoticeable]] rascal comma, [-7470 2791 1312⟩. Playing in a temperament which does not temper out this comma is physically impossible without beating interference on all notes.
+If humans could hear to the mean free path limit, this would limit our perception range to <math>\frac{5\cdot10^9 \ln{2}}{16}</math> or about '''216 million-EDO'''. This corresponds to a step size of about 5.5 x 10<sup>-6</sup> cents, which is roughly the size of the [[Unnoticeable comma|unnoticeable]] rascal comma, [-7470 2791 1312⟩. Playing in a temperament which makes a distinction for intervals this small is physically impossible without beating interference on all notes.
 This being said, the "chunky" nature of real gases will cause problems well before the sound wavelength will attain mean free path.