Sound and Hearing
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Are sound waves transverse or longitudinal?
Longitudinal, comprising of compressions and rarefactions
What is the wavelength of a sound wave?
The distance between two adjacent compressions or rarefactions
What is the frequency of a wave?
The number of complete waves that pass a point in one second
What is the intensity of a sound wave?
The amount of energy carried by the wave (for sound waves it’s measured in decibels)
What is resonant frequency?
The frequency that an object will naturally vibrate at
What range of frequencies can humans hear?
20-20,000Hz
What directs sound waves into the external auditory canal?
The pinna (external ear)
What membrane lies at the end of the external auditory canal?
The tympanic membrane
What are the bones inside the middle ear called?
The Ossicles (Malleus, Incus and Stapes)
What is the stapes connected to in the cochlea?
The Oval window
What is the purpose of the ossicles?
To conduct and amplify sound waves from the tympanic membrane to the oval window
Which compartment in the cochlea does the oval window connect to? What is it filled with?
The scala vestibuli, filled with perilymph
What is the middle compartment of the cochlea called? What is it filled with?
The scala media, filled with endolymph
What membrane separates the scala vestibuli and scala media?
The vestibular membrane
What vibrates in response to the pressure waves within the cochlea? Where are they located?
The stiff fibres within the basilar membrane
Stiff fibre vibration triggers signals to be sent by what cells?
Hair cells
What are the location and number of cochlear hair cells triggered dependant on?
The intensity and frequency of incoming sound
What are the different forms of deafness?
Conductive and Sensorineural
How does conductive deafness differ from sensorineural deafness?
Conductive deafness involves sound being unable to pass to the cochlea via the outer and middle ear whereas sensorineural deafness may involve cochlear or neural defects