Signal Frequency Spectra with Audacity®

The primary objective of the activity presented here is to allow students to explore the frequency components of various simple signals, with the ultimate goal of teaching them how to remove unwanted noise from a voice signal. Analysis of the frequency components of a signal allows students to design filters that remove unwanted components of a signal while conserving the shape and magnitude of the relevant portion of a signal. For example, signal noise is often contained in higher frequency (fast-changing) components whereas signal drift is contained in lower frequency (slow-changing) components of the signal. A low-pass filter allows lower frequency components below a cutoff frequency to pass through, whereas a high-pass filter allows higher frequency components above a cutoff frequency to pass through. With activities such as the one presented here, students are introduced to real-world problem-solving applications of physics concepts that go beyond simple theory and equations.