How can we tell in a completely dark room that a particular soun is produced by a violin or a flute ?

Answer

To determine whether a particular sound in a completely dark room is produced by a violin or a flute, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Characteristics of Sound**:
- Sound has three main characteristics: pitch, loudness, and quality (or timbre).
- Pitch relates to the frequency of the sound wave.
- Loudness relates to the intensity of the sound.
- Quality (or timbre) refers to the unique tone or color of the sound produced by different instruments.

2. **Identify the Role of Quality**:
- Quality is the characteristic that allows us to differentiate between sounds produced by different instruments, even if they are playing the same note.
- Each instrument has a unique sound due to its construction, shape, and the way it produces sound.

3. **Listen Carefully**:
- In a completely dark room, focus on the sound being produced.
- Pay attention to the tonal quality of the sound. A violin produces a rich, warm sound, while a flute produces a lighter, airier sound.

4. **Distinguish the Sounds**:
- By analyzing the quality of the sound, you can identify whether it is coming from a violin or a flute.
- The distinct timbre of each instrument will help you make the identification.

5. **Conclusion**:
- In a completely dark room, you can tell whether the sound is from a violin or a flute by focusing on the quality of the sound.

### Final Answer:
The distinguishing characteristic that allows us to identify whether a sound is produced by a violin or a flute in a completely dark room is the quality (or timbre) of the sound.

---