PSYCH 3A03 Lecture Notes - Cochlea, Stapes, Middle Ear

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 3A03
• Professor: Paul Faure

Document Summary

The tympanic membrane, the middle ear ossicles and inner ear fluids all contribute to the opposition of vibratory motion from airborne stimulus. All of the above contribute to acoustic impedance of auditory system. Impedance (z) is the total opposition to motion. The impedance of a system ahs 2 components: resistance (r) (energy dissipating component, reactance (x) (energy storing component) The acoustical impedance of a system is the complex sum of the resistance (r) and the reactance (x) components of a system . Xm leads xc by 180o (i. e. when xm = xc, mass reactance and compliance reactance cancel each other) Resistance is a force that opposes or resits motion. Resistance opposes the motion of an applied force resulting in the transfer of. Ke to thermal energy (i. e. dissipation of energy as heat) Thus, a given magnitude of resistance provides opposition to an input force regardless of the frequency. Reactance forces also opposes motion but in a different way from resistance.