Sounds & Hearing

Question 1

What is frequency measure in?

Answer 1

hertz

Question 2

Does high frequency have shorter or longer wavelengths?

Answer 2

shorter

Question 3

define: timbre

Answer 3

the character or quality of a musical sound or voice as distinct from its pitch and intensity.

Question 4

define: Fundamental frequency

Answer 4

the wavelength of the longest component. This determines the pitch of the sound.

Question 5

what do the harmonics of a sound wave determine?

Answer 5

the timbre - sound quality

Question 6

How do the hair cells interact with the basilar membrane to produce electrical signal based on sound?

Answer 6

Hair cells in the organ of corti (within the cochlea) detect vibrations in the Basilar membrane. These hair cells change their firing rate when they are bent

Question 7

define: tonotopic

Answer 7

When something responds preferentially to a particular frequency, eg hair cells

Question 8

Put in order the process of auditory transduction (sound to hearing)
- Auditory nerve fires (neural)
- Air pressure changes (kinetic)
- Cochlear fluid flows (kinetic)
- Hair cells bend (mechanical)
- Vibration of eardrum -> middle ear -> oval window (mechanical)

Answer 8

Air pressure changes (kinetic)
Vibration of eardrum -> middle ear -> oval window (mechanical)
Cochlear fluid flows (kinetic)
Hair cells bend (mechanical)
Auditory nerve fires (neural)

Question 9

How does volume influence pitch perception?

Answer 9

More intense low frequency sounds are perceived as lower pitch (louder noise of the same pitch is heard as lower pitch - a lower pitch sound needs to be louder to be perceived as equally loud to a higher pitch sound)