The ear Flashcards
What is the ear?
The sensory organ for the sense of hearing.
Describe the auditory canal.
A canal that funnels outside sounds towards the eardrum.
Describe the eardrum.
This membrane that transmits sound waves to the ossicles.
Describe the ossicles.
3 small bones which transfer the vibrations from the eardrum to the cochlea.
Describe the cochlea.
Snail-like structure which transforms vibrations from ossicles into electrical nerve impulses via sensory receptors, called hair cells, found inside the cochlea.
Describe the semicircular canal.
3 fluid-filled semicircular canals that help maintain balance. The fluids’ movement in each semicircular canal determines the head’s position in space.
What is the decibel scale used for?
It is used to measure the level of loudness of sound.
The human ear can detect loudness of what decibel.
0-120dB
At what decibel will a human begin to detect pain when they are exposed to it?
Decibel levels higher than 120dB.
Each time you go up by 3dB, the loudness does what?
Doubles.
Long term exposure to sounds of what decibel over what will may damage?
80dB
The pitch of a sound is impacted by what?
The frequency of the sound wave.
Low frequency produces a ____ pitch sound.
Low
High frequency produces a ____ pitch sound.
High
The loudness of a sound is impacted by what?
The amplitude of the sound wave.
