hearing/ear

Parts of the ear

• pinna/outer ear

• Eardrum

• Hammer/stirrup/anvil

• Eustachian tube

• Cochlea

Pinna/outer ear:

exterior of the ear

Eardrum:

vibrates when sound waves hit it, separates outer ear from middle and inner ear

Hammer/stirrup/anvil:

Amplify the vibration from the eardrum

Eustachian tube:

equalizes the pressure between the air outside the ear and in the air in the middle ear

Cochlea:

has tons of tiny hairs, converts vibrations into electrical signals

Pitch (frequency of a sound wave):

how high or low the sound is

Loudness/volume (amplitude of a sound wave):

Loudness/volume (amplitude of a sound wave): how loud or soft the sound is

Theories on How We Hear

• place theory

• Frequency

• Theory

• Volley theory

Place theory:

the brain perceives pitch based on the location of vibration in the cochlea

Frequency theory:

the brain perceives pitch based on the number of signals sent to the brain per second

Volley theory:

Volley theory: the brain perceives pitch by firing neural impulses at slightly different times to create a greater frequency of messages to the brain (works to perceive high pitched noises)

Sound localization

helps us determine where a sound is coming from, easiest when the sound is directly to our left or right

Conductive hearing loss

sound waves are blocked from reaching the inner ear, hearing aids are a solution

Sensorineural hearing loss

damage inside the inner ear, cochlear implant is a solution

McGurk effect

if you hear someone saying something but see their mouth moving in a different position, you might hear it differently to align with their mouth movements