Lecture 9 Flashcards
what is sound
a wave that consists of areas of high pressure and low pressure, caused by the movement of air molecules caused buy the sound wave
high pressure
compression
low pressure
rarefaction
cycle time
time between compressions
perceptual phenomenon associated with frequency
pitch
perceptual phenomenon associated with amplitude
loudness (decibels)
perceptual phenomenon associated with complexity
timbre (quality of the sound)
what is hertz
number of waves per second
low wavelength=
low frequency, low pitch
typical human hearing range
20-20,000 Hz
short wavelength=
high frequency, higher pitch
infrasound
lower frequency
high frequency
ultrasound
high amplitude
loud
small amplitude
quiet
decibel scale
designed to correspond to human hearing
0 in decibel scale
threshold in human hearing
what is higher? Threshold of pain for hearing, or threshold of damage for hearing?
threshold of pain
complex wave components
fundamental frequency and harmonics
fundamental frequency
the wavelength of the longest component
what doe the fundamental frequency determine?
the pitch of teh sound
what do the harmonics determine?
the timbre and sound quality
purpose of the outer ear
to channel sound into our auditory canal
can amplify the sound a bit
protects auditory canal from particles etc in the environment
what is the eardrum
a membrane that vibrates when hit by sound drums
transduction of sound wave to … on the eardrum
mechanical energy
vestibular system
made of three semicircular canals
for balance
what liquid fills the vestibular canals
endolymph
how does vestibular system translate movement to the brain
when your head moves, endolymph moves in the vestibular canal
causes cupula to move
movement of cupula causes nerves to send a signal to the brain
Physical definition of sound
Pressure changed in the air or other medium
Perceptual definition of sound
The experience we have when we hear
What mediums can transmit sounds?
Elastic mediums
Pure tone
Occurs when changes in air pressure occur as a pattern described by sine wave
Sound frequency
The number of cycles per second that change the pressure in repeats
Use of decibels
To shrink large ranges of pressures