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What does 985 Hz sound like?
985 Hz is a midrange frequency. It is a clear midrange tone, close to where the human ear does most of its work for speech and melody.
A 985 Hz sound wave completes 985 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 1.02 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 34.8 cm (1.14 ft) long; in water it stretches to 1.50 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 985 Hz is 5 cents below B5 (987.77 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 1,970 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 492.5 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 985 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 34.8 cm |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 1.50 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 1.52 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 1.02 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 6.05 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 5.73 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 985 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
| Harmonic | Frequency | Nearest note |
|---|---|---|
| 1× (fundamental) | 985 Hz | B5 |
| 2× | 1.97 kHz | B6 |
| 3× | 2.955 kHz | F♯7 |
| 4× | 3.94 kHz | B7 |
| 5× | 4.925 kHz | D♯8 |
| 6× | 5.91 kHz | F♯8 |
| 7× | 6.895 kHz | A8 |
| 8× | 7.88 kHz | B8 |
Which animals can hear 985 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Rabbits, Rats, Gerbils, Guinea pigs, Hedgehogs, Raccoons, Ferrets, Opossums, Chinchillas, Elephants, Bottlenose dolphins, Chickens, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Bullfrogs, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Instruments and voices that can play 985 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 985 Hz sound like?
It is a clear midrange tone, close to where the human ear does most of its work for speech and melody.
Can humans hear 985 Hz?
Yes. 985 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 985 Hz?
985 Hz is 5 cents below B5, which is 987.77 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 985 Hz?
About 34.8 cm in air at 20 °C and 1.50 m in water.
Can dogs hear 985 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.