Hearing

A sounds loudness.

the number of complete wavelengths that pass a point in a given time

a tone's experienced highness of lowness; depends on frequency

low frequency, low pitch

high frequency, high pitch

how sound is measured; absolute threshold for hearing is 0 decibels; 10 decibels indicate a tenfold increase in sound intensity

chamber between eardrum and cochlea containing 3 tiny bones (hammer, anvil, stirrup).

The concentrate the vibrations of the eardrum on the cochlea's oval window

a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses

contains cochlea, semicircular canals, & vestibular sacs

From the number of activated hair cells on the basilar membrane.

links the pitch we hear w/ the place where the cochlea's membrane is stimulated; explains high-pitched but not low-pitched sounds

the rate of nerve impulses traveling up to auditory nerve matches the frequency of the tone, thus enabling up to sense its pitch

by alternately firing, neural cells can achieve a combined frequency of over 1000 waves/sec.

stereophonic (three dimensional) hearing

hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea

hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system that conducts sound waves to the cochlea

device for converting sounds into electrical signals and stimulating the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea