Nyquist law, named after Harry Nyquist, a Bell Labs employee, is the fundamental idea underlying sound digitization. It suggests that discrete samples of the analog waveform can be collected rather than the complete waveform itself. Nyquist also discovered that to reconstruct the original waveform accurately, the sampling rate must be at least twice the signal bandwidth.
When it comes to human hearing, it was previously believed that sounds louder than 20 kHz were inaudible to us. However, since the introduction of music CDs, this figure has been disputed. Now, analog waves are sampled at 44.1 kHz, and this technique enables us to hear sounds up to 20 kHz.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nyquist theory?
Nyquist theory, named after Harry Nyquist, suggests that a signal’s bandwidth must be sampled at least twice to accurately reproduce the original signal.
What is the minimum sampling rate?
The sampling rate must be at least twice the signal bandwidth to maintain the integrity of a reconstructed waveform.
What is the range of frequencies audible to humans?
Although it was previously believed to be 20 kHz, research shows that some people can hear up to 28 kHz.
