What does bit rate represent in digital audio recording?

Bit rate represents the amount of information stored per unit of time in digital audio recording. It is a crucial concept because it indicates the data capacity that is being utilized to represent audio. A higher bit rate means that more audio information is captured and stored for each second of audio, which typically results in higher fidelity and better sound quality. This is because more bits allow for more detail in the sound wave representation, enabling a more accurate reproduction of the original audio.

In contrast, the other choices focus on different aspects of audio recording. The frequency of sound capture relates to how many times a sound wave oscillates per second, impacting the pitch of the audio but not the amount of information. The volume level refers to the loudness of the audio, which is an essential characteristic but does not quantify data storage. The duration concerns how long an audio track plays but is unrelated to the quality or the data rate of the recording. Thus, understanding bit rate is foundational in digital audio, connecting directly to both quality and file size.