Beat frequency

Beat frequency occurs when two waves of similar but slightly different frequencies overlap, creating a new pattern of sound intensity that fluctuates periodically. Imagine two musical notes close in pitch; when played together, instead of a constant tone, you hear a pulsing or throbbing sound. This pulsing happens at the beat frequency, which equals the difference between the two original frequencies. Essentially, beat frequency reveals how close two wave cycles are in frequency, producing a rhythmic variation that can be observed in sound or other wave phenomena.