PSYCO104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Oval Window, Outer Ear, Sound

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCO104
• Professor: James Farley

Document Summary

Freq and amplitude constitute two fundamental properties of sound waves. Humans can perceive sound in the freq range of 20-20 000 hz. Amount of compression/expansion of molecules in conducting medium. Attempt to relate a physical quantity to human perception (intensity to loudness) Logarithmic scale: each increase of 10 equates to 10x increase in loudness. Restaurant = 50db; rock show = 120db; jet = 140db. Auditory system is designed to translate pressure waves (sound waves) into neural impulses. Membrane (eardrum), which then vibrates in response to incoming sound waves. Three tiny bones, the malleus (or hammer, connected to the eardrum), incus (aka anvil) and. Stapes (or stirrup, connected to the oval window) amplify the sound > 30x. The cochlea, a fluid filled tube, contains the basilar. The organ of corti rests on the basilar membrane and contains about 16 000 hair cells that act as sound receptors (you lose hair cells as you age)