Start with your device volume low. Very low tones may be inaudible on phone or laptop speakers; very high tones can be uncomfortable on headphones.
What does 100 Hz sound like?
100 Hz is a bass frequency. It is a low bass tone – a warm hum similar to the low strings of a cello or bass guitar. Phone speakers reproduce it weakly; headphones work much better.
A 100 Hz sound wave completes 100 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 10 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 3.43 m (11.25 ft) long; in water it stretches to 14.81 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 100 Hz is 35 cents above G2 (98 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 200 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 50 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 100 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 3.43 m |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 14.81 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 15.00 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 10.07 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 59.60 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 56.40 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 100 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 100 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Pigs, Goats, Gerbils, Guinea pigs, Raccoons, Ferrets, Chinchillas, Elephants, Bottlenose dolphins, Bullfrogs, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Sheep, Rabbits, Rats, Mice, Hedgehogs, Opossums, Bats, Beluga whales, Chickens, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Greater wax moths
Instruments and voices that can play 100 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 100 Hz sound like?
It is a low bass tone – a warm hum similar to the low strings of a cello or bass guitar. Phone speakers reproduce it weakly; headphones work much better.
Can humans hear 100 Hz?
Yes. 100 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 100 Hz?
100 Hz is 35 cents above G2, which is 98 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 100 Hz?
About 3.43 m in air at 20 °C and 14.81 m in water.
Can dogs hear 100 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.