PSY 1101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Eardrum, Basilar Membrane, Oval Window

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 1101
• Professor: Najwa Haddad

Document Summary

Physical characteristic which can be transmitted into pitch (high or low) Physical characteristic which translates into timbre (uniqueness of a sound) Pinna funnels sound into the ear sound enters the auditory canal amplifies. Ear drum vibrates with a the sound wave. Ossicles three bones (see text for names); vibrate with ear drum. Oval window membrane which vibrate with ossicles. Cochlear fluid contained in cochlea, responds to vibrations by producing waves. Basilar membrane structure inside cochlea, vibrates in response to waves. Hair cells (cilia) bend in response to vibrations; cause them to fire and produce an action potential (detect, transduce, transmit) Auditory nerve sends information to the brain. Plane theory: sound waves of different frequencies will activate different parts of basilar membrane; will tell the brain if the sound was high or low. High frequency maximally activates the beginning of the membrane. Low frequency maximally activates the end of the membrane.