P. Chordata - Cl. Mammalia, Echolocation Flashcards
What is echolocation?
It is the ability of an animal to generate its own sound and listen to the sound of its echoes.
How do bats narrow their sound?
It is unsure how they narrow their sound but they do direct it.
What is the purpose of bats narrowing their sound?
It allows them to pick up their own sounds and not confuse it with others.
What Mammals did we discuss use echolocation?
Bats, insects, cetaceans, and cave-dwelling birds.
How many clicks per second does a bat use when cruising?
10 clicks/second
In comparison to their cruising clicks per second, how many clicks do they make for prey capture?
300 clicks/second
Of the different speeds mammals use simply for flying and for capturing prey, which one is fine grain and which one is coarse grain?
Cruising = coarse grain Capturing prey = fine grain.
What are the 4 challenges echolocation mammals face?
1) Faint echoes
2) The potential to damage their own ears.
3) (Potentially) Confusing
4) Targeting a moving target
Define doppler shift.
Doppler shift is the change in the pitch of sound or radio waves.
What is the solution to confusing their own sound?
Narrowing! Narrowing their sound allows them a more accurate trajectory.
What is the solution for mammals faint echoes (echolocation)?
They start with a loud click! They have sensitive ears so this works.
What prevents echolocating mammals from the challenge of damaging their own ears?
They send/receive radar!
They have an amplifier and receiver. When the amplifier is turned on, the receiver is turned off.
When the receiver is turned on, the amplifier is turned off.
How do echolocating mammals deal with the challenge of a moving target?
They “dopple shift” and change the pitch of sound or radio waves.
What decreases with the square of distance?
Echolocating mammals sound does!
In other words, they go quiet very quickly.
The phenomena of…
Echolocation
