Physics and Audio Perception

humans can hear this range of sound

20Hz-20kHz

Unit of Loudness

Decibels

Unit of frequency

Hertz

Speed of Sound

340-343 meters per second

Fourier

Created the theory of amplitude, frequency, and wavelength

Basic shape of a sound

sine wave

Overtone Series

All notes have a most basic (fundamental) tone, with harmonics overtop

Inverse Square Law

Describes the intensity of a sound from a certain distance from the original starting point (S/4pi^2=I)

Pinna

Outer ear (part we can see)

Auditory Canal

Connects to pinna, where audio from outside goes into

Tympanic membrane

Eardrum

Malleus

the bone attached to the eardrum (think MIS)

Incus

Middle ear bone (Think MIS)

Stapes

Transmits sound from incus to cochlea (Think MIS)

Oval Window

The part the Stapes connects to

Semi-circular canals

Loops at the top of the ear (above cochlea)

Cochlea

the snail-shaped tube where sound vibrations are converted into nerve impulses by the organ of Corti

Cochlear nerve

connects to the cochlea and brings sound to the brain

Vestibular nerve

above cochlear nerve

Round Window/Circular Window

Little hole next to cochlea, one of the connections from the middle ear to inner ear

Eustachian tube

second tube in the deep ear

Fletcher Munson Curves

Loudness level contours

Ohm's Law

electric current is directly proportional to voltage and inversely proportional to resistance (V=IR)

Wavelength Equation

(wavelength=velocity/frequency) calculates wavelength