Lecture #16 Flashcards
what is the unit for frequency?
Hertz
what is the unit of amplitude?
decible
what is the speed of sound propagation?
340 m/s
what receives the mechanical inputs of sound and transforms them into physical inputs via electrical responses?
hair cells
what are the two parts of the external ear?
concha and pinna
after sound are captured by the external ear, where are they transferred to?
the meatus: part of the ear that allows the signal to trance though the short cavity up to the eardrum
what is the the anatomical name for the eardrum?
tympanum
what are the three bones of the inner ear?
malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), stapes (stirrup)
how is the eardrum + oval window serve as an amplifier?
you have a large membrane connected to a very small vibrating membrane
what are the three bones of the inner ear connected with?
small muscles
what is the most important part of the hearing structure?
cochlea (comes from the latin word meaning snail)
describe the cochlea:
liquid-filled structure → first step in auditory perception in which you have something going from an air medium to a fluid medium
name the three chambers of the cochlea:
scala vestibuli, scala tympani, organ of Corti in the scala media
where is the Scala vestibuli located?
dorsal chamber of the cochlea
where is the Scala tympani located?
ventral portion of the cochlea
describe perilymph:
composed of a water solution that has a very specific concentration of sodium and potassium
describe the endolymph:
fluid in the scala media → concentration of potassium is very high, and the potassium contained is the driving force for the transformation of sound into an electrical signal
what are the two external chambers (Scala vestibuli and the Scala tympani) connected by?
helicotrema at the tip of the cochlea
what membrane separates the scala vestibuli from the Scala media?
Reissner’s membrane, also called the vestibular membrane
what is the most important membrane and what does it separate?
basilar membrane - separates the scala tympani and the scala media
what is the equation used to describe loudness?
L= 20log10 (P/Pref)
p= pressure of an incoming signal
pref= pressure of a reference
when the stirrup acts on the oval window, the pressure propagates the liquid in which chamber?
scala vestibuli
describe where the signal travels from the scala vestibuli:
stimulation goes up to the terminal part of the cochlea
here there is the helicotrema (a region of the cochlea in which the scala vestibuli and the scala tympani are connected) and therefore the pressure can start to run into the second chamber
finally at the end of the scala tympani there is another small opening (round window) which is separated from the middle ear with a small membrane and this compression can increase the pressure of this small membrane causing an outwork bowing of the round window