BIO* - Biology BIO* M121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Basilar Membrane, Tectorial Membrane, Oval Window
9 Jun 2020
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Hearing is the ability to sense sound, which consists of waves of pressure in air or water. The frequency of the sound is the number of pressure waves that occur in one second (measured in hz) Differences in sound frequency are perceived as different pitches. Human range is approximately 20 hz to 20 khz. Virtually all animal pressure-sensing systems are based on the same mechanism, a mechanoreceptor cell that responds to pressure. The ear transduces sound waves into action potentials and sends the information to the brain. There are three parts to the ear: The outer-ear collects pressure waves and funnels them into the ear canal where they strike the tympanic membrane. The middle ear amplifies sound waves enough to stimulate the hair cells within the cochlea of the inner ear. The fluid inside the cochlea vibrates, stimulating certain. Each is separated from the others by a membrane. Mammals have an outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear hair cells.
