9 - Hearing, Vestibular Perception, Taste, and Smell Flashcards
External ear
The part of the ear that we readily see (the pinna) and the canal that leads to the eardrum
Transduction
The conversion of one form of energy to another
Pinna
The external part of the ear
Pure tone
A tone with a single frequency of vibration
Amplitude
The force sound exerts per unit area, usually measured as dynes per square centimeter
Loudness
The subjective experience of the pressure level of a sound
Frequency
The number of cycles per second in a sound wave, measured in hertz (Hz)
Hertz (Hz)
Cycles per second, as of an auditory stimulus
Pitch
A dimension of auditory experience in which sounds vary from low to high
Fundamental
The predominant frequency of an auditory tone or a visual scene
Harmonics
Multiples of a particular frequency called the fundamental
Timbre
The characteristic sound quality of a musical instrument, as determined by the relative intensities of its various harmonics
Fourier analysis
The analysis of a complex pattern into the sum of sine waves
Decibel (dB)
A measure of sound intensity
Middle ear
The cavity between the tympanic membrane and the cochlea
Ossicles
Three small bones (incus, malleus, and stapes) that transmit sound across the middle ear, from the tympanic membrane to the oval window
Tympanic membrane
Also called eardrum. The partition between the external ear and the middle ear
Oval window
The opening from the middle ear to the inner ear
Malleus
Latin for “hammer.” A middle-ear bone that is connected to the tympanic membrane
Incus
Latin for “anvil.” A middle-ear bone situated between the malleus and the stapes
Stapes
Latin for “stirrup.” A middle-ear bone that is connected to the oval window
Tensor tympani
The muscle attached to the malleus that modulates mechanical linkage to protect the delicate receptor cells of the inner ear from damaging sounds
Stapedius
A middle-ear muscle that is attached to the stapes
Inner ear
The cochlea and vestibular apparatus