PSYB51H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Helicotrema, Stapedius Muscle, Psychophysics
Document Summary
Sounds are created when objects vibrate- the vibrations of an object cause molecules in the object"s surrounding medium to vibrate as well and this vibration in turn causes pressure changes in the medium. Sound waves travel at a particular speed depending on the medium, moving faster through denser substances. Sound is faster in water than it is in air. Timbre is a term used to describe the quality of a sound that depends in part, on the relative energy levels of harmonic components. Sounds are first collected from the environment by the pinna, the curly structure on the side of the head that we call an ear: only mammals have it. Sounds waves are funneled by the pinna into and through the ear canal which extends about 23 millimeters into the head. The main purpose of the canal is to protect the structure at it"s end, the tympanic membrane from damage.
