General Flashcards
Hearing organs are specialised structures that serve the following primary physical functions:
The coupling of sound to the organism
The conversion of sound into mechanical energy
The conversion into useful nerve signals
Physical dimensions of sound
Frequency range Frequency resolution Temporal resolution Amplitude range Amplitude resolution
Human amplitude threshold
1000 Hz (1dB)
Minimal energy detectable for a human at threshold
4zJ
Tool to estimate the frequency composition of a waveform
Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)
Sound graphs:
Amplitude over time
Frequency over time
Frequency and relative amplitude / overall frequency composition
Amp - oscillogram
Freq - sonogram
Freq and amp - power spectrum
Proximal adaptations for hearing
How
Directionality
High sensitivity
Frequency selectivity
Ultimate adaptations for hearing
Why
Mate detection
Predator detection
Prey detection
Transmission - object size to wavelength ratio
1:10
Diffraction - object larger than …… of the wavelength
1/10
Water depth where sound transmits well
600 - 800 m
Resolutions and ranges humans can detect: Frequency range Dynamic range Frequency resolution Temporal resolution Amplitude resolution Angular resolution
Frequency range = 20 Hz - 20 kHz Dynamic range = 0 dB - 140 dB Frequency resolution = 1% Temporal resolution = 1 us Amplitude resolution = 1 dB Angular resolution = 1 degree
Two types of hearing organs and what they respond to
Pressure receivers - pressure
Particle velocity receivers - particle velocity
Number of mechanosensory cells at pedicel of chironomid fly antennae
16,000
Directional hearing acoustic cues
Interaural time difference
Interaural amplitude difference
Spectral information (frequency content)
Types of systems for hearing directional information
Independent pressure receivers
Pressure difference receivers
Mechanically coupled pressure receptors
Ormia ochracea mechanical ITD
Delay measured by microphone
50 us
1.4 us
Frequencies associated with coupled tympanal membrane modes
Mode 1 - low frequency (4 kHz)
Mode 2 - intermediate
Mode 3 - high
Arachnoscelis / Ultrasonus frequency of communication
153 kHz
Who discovered Ampullae of Lorenzini and when?
Stefano Lorenzini (1678)
% overall energy some flowers invest into nectar production
37%
Charge density unit
Volts per meter
What do we need to ask when looking at a sense?
Cues, physical quantities Behavioural evidence Detection, perception Thresholds Sensory substrate Adequate stimulus, information
Chemical formula of magnetite
Fe3O4
What is the significance of H vector?
Points to magnetic N
What is angle D?
Declination angle
Between geographic and magnetic north
What is angle I?
Inclination angle
Angle of the horizontal plane
Field intensities information
Ambient field
Local variations
Behavioural thresholds
Ambient field = 30,000 - 60,000 nT
Local variations = 1,000 nT
Behavioural thresholds = 25-50 nT
The successive phases of long-distance navigation
Long-distance phase - celestial, magnetic, landmarks
Homing phase - compasses, landmarks, olfaction, soundscapes
Pinpointing the goal phase - cues
Speed of light
300 x 10^6 ms^-1
Irradiance levels in different light levels and types Photopic Sunlight Sunrise / set Mesopic Twilight Full moon Scotopic Starlight
Sunlight = 10^20 Sunrise / set = 10^18 Twilight = 10^16 Full moon = 10^14 Starlight = 10^12
Threshold irradiance for human vision
10^10 Ph m^-2 s ^-1
What can happen when a molecule absorbs a photon?
Vibrate
Electrons excited and jump to higher energy state
Ionized
What can excited molecules do?
Fluoresce / phosphoresce
Change shape
React with another molecule
Break apart
Spectroscopy measurements
Transmission
Absorptance (P)
Absorbance (A)
% space in rod outer segment occupied by rhodopsin
50%