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cognition > loudness and pitch > Flashcards

loudness and pitch Flashcards

1
Q

what is the perceptual definition of sound?

A

Sound is the experience we have when we hear

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2
Q

What is the physical definition?

A

Sound is pressure changes in the air or other medium caused by the vibration of an object

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3
Q

What is a pure tone?

A

Occurs when changes in air pressure form a perfect sinusoidal wave

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4
Q

How is amplitude a characteristic of pure tunes?

A

size of the variation in air pressure (difference between peak and trough)

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5
Q

what is amplitude related too?

A

perception of loudness

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6
Q

how is frequency a characteristic of pure tones

A

number of cycles per second (1hz = 1 cycle)

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7
Q

what is frequency related too?

A

perception of pitch

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8
Q

What is a complex sound?

A

A combination of sine waves

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9
Q

What is the higher frequencies known as?

A

The harmonics

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10
Q

What are the 3 sub divisions of the ear?

A

Outer, middle and inner

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11
Q

What does the outer ear consist of?

A

Pinnae - visible external parts
Auditory canal - 3cm tube like structure protecting middle ear
Tympanic membrane (eardrum) - cone shaped membrane separating outer and middle ear
Sound waves induce a difference in pressure either side of tympanic membrane causing it to vibrate

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12
Q

What does larger amplitude sounds result in?

A

Larger vibrations

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13
Q

What does high frequency sounds result in?

A

Faster vibrations

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14
Q

What does the middle ear contain?

A

The ossicles

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15
Q

What are the names of the bones in the human body?

A

Malleus (hammer)
Incus (anvil)
Stapes (stirrup)

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16
Q

What do the bones in the middle ear do?

A

Amplify the vibrations of the tympanic membrane and transmit them to the inner ear at the oval window

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17
Q

What is the main structure of the innter ear?

A

Cochlea - snail like liquid filled organ

18
Q

What happens when oval window vibrates?

A

Results in a change of pressure which propagates up and down the spiral structure?

19
Q

What canals does the cochlea consist of?

A

Vestibular
Middle
Tympanic

20
Q

What does the basilar membrane trigger?

A

Auditory transduction

21
Q

What does basilar membrane separate?

A

Middle and Tympanic

22
Q

What does the organ of corti do ?

A

This is where motion of the basilar membrane are translated into neural signals by structures

23
Q

When is voltage generated?

A

When specialised hair cells contained within the organ of corti are bent

24
Q

What happens when voltage of corti is generated?

A

Impulses in auditory nerve cells are sent to the brain

25
Q

What can damage hair cells?

A

Overstimulation by loud sounds and can lead to hearing loss

26
Q

How are sound levels measured?

A

Logarithmic scale in decibels (dB)

27
Q

What does a change of 20db correspond too?

A

Ten fold increase in amplitude

28
Q

What is a rate code?

A

Sound amplitude is coded in the firing rate of auditory nerve fibers

29
Q

When do responses increase?

A

When sound intensity increases

30
Q

How does fibers spontaneous rates link to saturation?

A

High rates so faster saturation
Low rates so slower saturation

31
Q

How much does amplitude need to be increased by to be percieved as twice as loud?

A

3.16 (10db)

32
Q

Whats the lowest frequency humans can hear

A

20hz

33
Q

whats the highest frequency humans can hear

A

20000hz

34
Q

Where are low frequencies found in basilar membrane?

A

near apex

35
Q

Where are high frequencies found in basilar membrane

A

near base

36
Q

how are auditory nerve responses synchronised? what is it known as?

A

to changes in pressure.
PHASE LOCKING

37
Q

what freq does phase locking occur till?

A

4000 hz

38
Q

What do experiments for pitch suggest?

A

uses electrical stimulation via cochlea implants suggest that both place and timing of stimulation affect pitch perception

39
Q

why does the same note sound different in diff instruments?

A

number, freq ratio and amplitudes of harmonics dictates quality and timbre

40
Q

what happens if remove fundamentals of frequency

A

missinf fundamental illusion
- perceive a pitch consistent with missing fundamental
- suggest pitch isn’t determined in cochlea - brain infers missing fundamental from harmonics.

cognition (5 decks)

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