PSYCO104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Basilar Membrane, Sound, Middle Ear

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCO104
• Professor: Clayton Dickson

Document Summary

Sound waves are vibrations of molecules that travel through a medium, such as air. Move at a fraction of the speed of light. Characterized by their amplitude, their wavelength, and purity. Wavelengths of sound are described in terms of their frequency, which is measured in cycles per second or hertz (hz) Humans can hear sounds ranging from a low of 20-hz to a high of about. Amplitude of a sound wave is measured in decibels (db). In general, the greater the amplitude of a sound wave, the louder it will be perceived. A general rule is that perceived loudness doubles about every 6-10db. Even brief exposure to sounds > 120db can be painful and cause damage to your auditory system. We have the lowest absolute threshold for sound amplitude when sounds are in the 2000-hz range. Outer (or external) ear, middle ear, and inner ear. Perception of loudness and timbre are not well understood.