Chapter 9

Question 0

Cycle

Answer 0

In a sound wave, a repeating segment of air pressure

Question 1

Sound waves

Answer 1

Waves of pressure changes in air caused by the vibrations of a source

Question 2

Periodic sound waves

Answer 2

Waves in which the cycles of compression and rarefaction repeat in a regular, or periodic, fashion

Question 3

Pure tone

Answer 3

A sound wave in which air pressure changes over time according to w mathematical formula called sine wave or sinusoid

Question 4

Frequency

Answer 4

The physical dimensions of sound that is related to the perceptual dimension of pitch; expressed in hertz, the number of cycles per second of. Periodic sound wave

Question 5

Pitch

Answer 5

The perceptual dimension of sound that corresponds to the physical dimension of frequency; the perceived highness or lowness of a sound

Question 6

Hertz(Hz)

Answer 6

The number of cycles per second of a sound wave; the physical unit used to measure frequency

Question 7

Amplitude

Answer 7

The difference between the maximum and minimum sound pressure in a sound wave; the physical dimension of sound that is related to the perceptual dimension of loudness

Question 8

Loudness

Answer 8

The perceptual dimension of sound that is related to the physical dimension of amplitude; how intense or quiet a sound seems

Question 9

Decibels

Answer 9

A physical unit used to measure sound amplitude; logarithmically related to sound pressure measured in micropascals

Question 10

Audibility curve

Answer 10

A curve showing the minimum amplitude at which sounds can be detected at each frequency

Question 11

Equal loudness contour

Answer 11

A curve showing the amplitude of tones at different frequencies that sound about equally loud

Question 12

Fourier analysis

Answer 12

A mathematical procedure for decomposing a complex waveform into a collection of sine waves with various frequencies and amplitudes

Question 13

Fourier spectrum

Answer 13

A depiction of the amplitudes at all frequencies that make up a complex wave form

Question 14

Fundamental frequency

Answer 14

The frequency of the lowest-frequency component of a complex waveform;determines the perceived pitch of the sound

Question 15

Harmonic

Answer 15

A component frequency of a complex waveform that is an integer mult
E of the fundamental frequency

Question 16

Timbre

Answer 16

The difference in sound quality between two sounds with the same pitch and loudness

Question 17

Pinna

Answer 17

Outermost portion of the ear

Question 18

Auditory canal

Answer 18

A narrow channel that funnels sound waves gathered by the pinna onto the tympanic membrane and that amplifies certain frequencies in those waves

Question 19

Tympanic membrane

Answer 19

A thin, elastic diaphragm at the inner end of the auditory canal that vibrates in response to the sound waves that strike it.

Question 20

Ossicles

Answer 20

Three small bones in the middle ear that transmit sound energy from the tympanic membrane to the inner ear

Question 21

Malleus

Answer 21

A small bone in the inner ear; one of the ossicles, transmits sound energy from the tympanic membrane to the incus

Question 22

Incus

Answer 22

A small bone in the inner ear; one of the ossicles; transmits sound energy from the malleus to the stapes

Question 23

Stapes

Answer 23

A small bone in the inner ear; one of the ossicles; transmits sound energy from the Indus to the oval window

Question 24

Oval window

Answer 24

A membrane covered opening at the base of the cochlea; vibrations of the membrane transmit sound energy from the ossicles into the cochlea

Question 25

Eustachian tube

Answer 25

A tube connecting the middle ear and the top part of the throat; normally closed but can be briefly opened to equalize the air pressure in the middle ear with the air pressure outside

Question 26

Cochlea

Answer 26

A coiled, tapered tube within the temporal bone of the head. Partitioned along its length into three chambers; contains the structures involved in auditory transduction

Question 27

Vestibular canal

Answer 27

One of the three chambers in the cochlea, separated from the cochlear duct by Reissner's membrane; filled with perilymph

Question 28

Cochlear duct

Answer 28

One of the three chambers in the cochlea; separated from the tympanic canal by the basilar membrane, contains the organ of corti, filled with endolymph

Question 29

Tympanic canal

Answer 29

One of the three chambers in the cochlea; separated from the cochlea duct by the basilar membrane; filled with perilymph

Question 30

Helicotrema

Answer 30

An opening in the partitioning membranes at the apex of the cochlea. Provides an open pathway for the perilymph to carry vibrations through the cochlea

Question 31

Round window

Answer 31

A membrane-covered opening at the base of the tympanic canal in the cochlea, serves as a kind of relief valve for the pressure waves traveling through perilymph

Question 32

Basilar membrane

Answer 32

A tapered membrane suspended between the walls of the cochlea; thicker, narrower, and stiffer at the base than at the apex

Question 33

Characteristic frequency

Answer 33

The frequency to which each location on the basilar membrane responds to most readily

Question 34

Organ of corti

Answer 34

A structure in the cochlea situated on the basilar membrane, consists of three critical components-inner hair cells, outer hair cells, and the tectorial membrane

Question 35

Inner hair cells

Answer 35

Neurons in the organ of Corti; serve to amplify and sharpen the responses of inner hair cells

Question 36

Outer hair cells

Answer 36

Neurons in the organ of corti; serve to amplify and sharpen the responses of inner hair cells

Question 37

Tectorial membrane

Answer 37

A membrane that lies above the hair cells in the organ of Corti

Question 38

Stereocilia

Answer 38

Small hairlike projections on the tops of inner and outer hair cells

Question 39

Auditory nerve

Answer 39

The nerve that conveys signals from the hair cells in the organ of Corti to the brain, made up of Type 1 and Type 2 auditory nerve fibers bundled together

Question 40

Tip links

Answer 40

Tiny fibers connecting the tips of adjacent stereocilia on hair cells; increased tension on tip links pulls open ion channels in the membranes of the stereocilia

Question 41

Motile response

Answer 41

A response by outer hair cells that magnifies the movements of the basilar membrane, amplifying sounds and sharpening the response to particular frequencies

Question 42

Place code

Answer 42

Frequency representation based on the displacement of the basilar membrane at different locations

Question 43

Temporal code

Answer 43

Frequency representation based on a match between the frequencies in incoming sound waves and the firing rates of auditory nerve fibers

Question 44

Hearing impairment

Answer 44

A decrease in a persons ability to detect or discriminate sounds, compared to the ability of a healthy young adult

Question 45

Tinnitus

Answer 45

A persistent perception of sound, such as a ringing or buzzing, not caused by any actual sound.

Question 46

Audiometer

Answer 46

An instrument that presents pure tones with known frequency and amplitude to the right or the left ear; used in estimating the listeners absolute threshold for specific frequencies and to construct an audiogram

Question 47

Audiogram

Answer 47

A graphical depiction of auditory sensitivity to specific frequencies, compared to the sensitivity of a standard listener; used to characterize possible hearing loss

Question 48

Conductive hearing impairments

Answer 48

Hearing impairments characterized by a loss of sound conduction to the cochlea, as a result of problems in the outer or middle ear

Question 49

Sensorineural hearing impairments

Answer 49

Hearing impairments caused by damage to the cochlea, the auditory nerve, or the auditory areas or pathways of the brain.