Quiz 2 Flashcards
(26 cards)
Outer Ear
The portion of the ear that picks up and directs sound waves through the auditory canal to the middle ear.
Middle Ear
The part of the ear that transfers sound
waves from the eardrum to the inner ear.
Inner Ear
The part of the ear that contains the auditory nerve, which transmits sound waves to the brain.
Conductive Hearing Loss
A condition that occurs when there is damage to the eardrum or middle ear from disease; infection; excessive ear wax; for- eign objects that block the eardrum; trauma to the head or neck; systemic disorders such as high or low blood pressure, vascular disorders, and thyroid dysfunction; and high doses of certain medica- tions such as sedatives, antidepressants, and anti- inflammatory drugs.
Tinnitus
After prolonged exposure to loud sounds, the ringing, whistling, or buzzing in the ears, even though no loud sounds are present.
Sound-Pressure Level (dB-SPL)
A measure of the pressure of a sound wave, or sound-pressure level (SPL), expressed in decibels (dB).
Threshold of hearing
The lowest sound-pressure level at which sound becomes audible to the human ear. It is the zero reference of 0 dB-SPL.
Threshold of Feeling
120 dB-SPL
Threshold of Pain
The sound-pressure level at which the ear begins to feel pain, about 140 dB- SPL, although levels of around 120 dB-SPL cause discomfort.
Dynamic Range
The range between the quietest and the loudest sounds that a sound source can produce without distortion.
Auditory Fatigue/Temporary Threshold Shift
A reversible desensitization in hearing that disappears in any- where from a few hours to several days. Also called auditory fatigue.
Pitch
The subjective perception of frequency—the highness or lowness of a sound.
Octave
The interval between two sounds that have a
frequency ratio of 2:1.
Sound Frequency Spectrum
The range of frequencies audible to human hearing: about 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Bass
The low range of the audible frequency spectrum; usually from 20 to 320 Hz.
Midrange
The part of the frequency spectrum to which humans are most sensitive; the frequencies between roughly 320 and 2,560 Hz.
Treble
Frequency range between roughly 5,120 Hz and 20,000 Hz, the highest two octaves in the audi- ble frequency spectrum.
Equal Loudness Principle
The principle that confirms the human ear’s nonlinear sensitivity to all audible frequencies: that midrange frequencies are perceived with greatest intensity and that bass and treble frequencies are perceived with lesser intensity.
Masking
The hiding of some sounds by other sounds when each is a different frequency and they are presented together.
Timbre + Sound Envelope (ADSR)
Changes in the loudness of a sound over time, described as occurring in four stages: attack, initial decay, sustain, and release (ADSR).
Sine Wave
A fundamental frequency with no harmonics or overtones. Also called pure tone.
Triangle Wave
a non-sinusoidal waveform. It is a periodic, piecewise linear, continuous real function.
Contains only odd harmonics, due to its odd symmetry.
Square Wave
A non-sinusoidal Frequency with the amplitude alternates at a steady frequency between fixed minimum and maximum values, with the same duration at minimum and maximum.
White And Pink Noise
Flat Noise Constants
