Science Fair Project Encyclopedia - This article is about the
components of sound, harmonics. See also: Harmony. In
mathematics, see harmonic (mathematics). These two concepts are
related, as the mathematical theory describes the vibrations of
strings and air. In acoustics and telecommunication, the
harmonic of a wave is a component frequency of the signal that
is an integral multiple of the fundamental frequency. For a sine
wave, it is an integral multiple of the frequency of the wave.
For example, if the frequency is f, the harmonics have frequency
2f, 3f, 4f, etc. In musical terms, harmonics are component
pitches of a harmonic tone which sound at whole number multiples
above, or "within", the named note being played on a musical
instrument. Non-whole number multiples are called partials or
inharmonic overtones. It is the amplitude and placement of
harmonics and partials which give different instruments
different timbre (despite not usually being detected separately
by the untrained human ear), and the sepa