Hearing and Vestibular

Question 1

What does the outer ear do?

Answer 1

Funnels sound to the inner ear

Question 2

What does the middle ear do?

Answer 2

Transmits hearing function

Question 3

What vibrates the ossicles?

Answer 3

The ear drum

Question 4

The Malleus, Incus and Stapes make up what?

Answer 4

Ossicles

Question 5

What do the ossicles do?

Answer 5

Transmits vibrations to the inner ear

Question 6

What is the inner ear known as?

Answer 6

Cochlea

Question 7

Cochlea is otherwise known as what?

Answer 7

Inner ear

Question 8

What connects the ear to the nasal passage?

Answer 8

Eustachian tube

Question 9

What body part helps equalise atmospheric pressure?

Answer 9

Eustachian tube

Question 10

What causes the ear drum to produce pain and reduced hearing?

Answer 10

If pressure is exerted on only one side

Question 11

If pressure is exerted on only one side of the ear drum, what will happen?

Answer 11

Pain and reduced hearing

Question 12

What part of the ear receives often irrepairable damage?

Answer 12

Cochlea

Question 13

What is the audible range for human hearing?

Answer 13

20Hz to 20,000Hz

Question 14

What happens to a blocked Eustachian tube and ear when descending from a normal pressurised altitude?

Answer 14

Pressure in outer ear increases as altitude decreases
Eustachian tube can’t relieve pressure differential from nasal passage
Severe pain occurs

Question 15

Above what decibel level does temporaary hearing loss occur?

Answer 15

85dB

Question 16

What is the medical term for hearing loss resulting from age?

Answer 16

Presbycusis

Question 17

Frequencies below what level causes sweating?

Answer 17

100Hz

Question 18

What part of the ear converts pressure wave energy (sound) into mechanical energy?

Answer 18

Ossicles

Question 19

What part of the ear maintains ambient pressure within the ear?

Answer 19

Eustachian tube

Question 20

What equalises pressure either side of the eardrums?

Answer 20

Eustachian tube

Question 21

The vestibular system contains how many semi-circular canals in each ear?

Answer 21

3

Question 22

What is the major flaw with the vestibular system’s perception?

Answer 22

It will always prioritise the inner ear’s interpretation over your visual interpretation

Question 23

Vestibular issues: what are the leans?

Answer 23

A bank may be undetected by the inner ear
Levelling the wings may therefore be intrepeeted as banking in the opposite direction

Question 24

Vestibular issues: sloping cloud?

Answer 24

The pilot may align the wings with the sloping cloud and thus be not level

Question 25

Vestibular issues: what are acceleration issues known as?

Answer 25

Somatogravic

Question 26

Somatogravic issues are related to what flight experience?

Answer 26

Acceleration

Question 27

Vestibular issues: acceleration causes what inner ear sensation?

Answer 27

Pitching up

Question 28

Vestibular issues: decceleration causes what inner ear sensation?

Answer 28

Pitching down

Question 29

Vestibular issues: what can occur in a prolonged banked turn?

Answer 29

The inner ear thinks the bank angle is normal straight and level flight

Question 30

Why does the body feel the same when stationary and in steady, level flight?

Answer 30

The G forces are equivalent (1G)

Question 31

What happens to the fluid in the semicircular canals of the vestibular system during a change in flight?

Answer 31

The canal accelerates away from its fluid The fluid flows away from the direction of motion The fluid motion bends the sensory hairs and feeds the motion to the brain

Question 32

Vestibular issues: what can turns feel like?

Answer 32

Climbs

Question 33

Vestibular issues: why might a pilot feel a tendency to psh the nose down in a steep turn?

Answer 33

The steep turn may feel like the aircraft is climbing

Question 34

Vestibular issues: why does rolling out of a turn feel like a descent?

Answer 34

The G-forces are reduced which is also what is felt in a descent

Question 35

Vestibular issues: what can rolling out of a turn feel like?

Answer 35

Descending