Week6 Hearing Flashcards
Stimuli for hearing are
Sound waves
Sound waves are
Pressure waves travelling through any medium that will allow their conduction
Amplitude
Vertical size of sound waves
Transduction is
The process whereby the characteristics of a stimulus are converted into nerve impulses
Functions of pinnae
To collect sound
To help localise where sounds are coming from
Frequency determines ___________ and amplitude determines ____________
Pitch
Intensity
What parts are in outer ear
Pinna, auditory canal, eardrum
Three ear bones in middle ear
Hammer, anvil, stirrup
Functions of ear bones (ossicles)
To protect the inner ear from damage
To match the impedance of the air to that of the cochlea
What is impedance
Effectively relates to how much a given medium impedes sound waves
The inner ear contains
Cochlea
Cochlea contains
Basilar membrane: a sheet of tissue that runs the length of the cochlea
Organ of Corti: rests on the basilar membrane, contains thousands of tiny hair cells that are sound receptors
High-amplitude sound waves close hair cells to ______ more
This releases more __________________ substance which cause the auditory nerves to ________ more frequently
Some receptor neurons have higher ____________ than others
They combined to code loudness and type of stimulus (?
Bend
Neurotransmitter
Fire
Two theories for pitch perception
Frequency Theory: nerve impulses sent to the brain match the frequency of the sound wave but only works up to 1000 Hz
Place Theory: the specific point in the cochlea where the fluid wave peaks and most strongly bends the hair cells serves as a frequency coding cue
