Hearing: Sensation and Perception

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the fundamentals of the auditory system, including sound properties, ear anatomy, and theories of pitch perception.

Sound Waves

Vibrations of molecules, typically in air or water, that create variations in air pressure.

Frequency

The wavelength of sound waves, measured in cycles per second ($\text{Hz}$), which determines the pitch of a sound.

Pitch

The perceptual quality of sound that reflects the frequency or wavelength of sound waves.

Amplitude

The height of sound waves that determines the perceived loudness of a sound.

Timbre

The purity of the wavelength; a mixture of wavelengths changes this quality of the sound or music.

Hertz ($\text{Hz}$)

The unit used to measure the number of wavelength cycles per second; humans can hear sounds ranging from $20\,\text{hertz}$ to $20,000\,\text{hertz}$.

Decibels ($\text{dB}$)

The unit of measurement for amplitude or loudness; perceived loudness doubles approximately every $6$ to $10\,\text{decibels}$.

Hair Cells

Thousands of tiny nerve cells in the inner ear responsible for picking up different frequencies and sending neural signals to the brain.

Pinna

The part of the external ear where sound waves first enter from the outside world.

Auditory Canal

The tunnel in the external ear through which variations in air pressure travel before hitting the eardrum.

Eardrum

The structure that vibrates in response to sound waves, marking the transition from soundwave energy to mechanical energy.

Oicles

A series of three bones in the middle ear—the hammer, anvil, and stirrups—that convert and amplify air pressure into physical movement.

Hammer, Anvil, and Stirrups

The three specific bones that make up the oicles in the middle ear.

Oval Window

The structure in the inner ear that registers physical movement from the oicles, causing liquid wave motion within the cochlea.

Cochlea

A fluid-filled coiled tunnel in the inner ear containing the receptors for hearing.

Basler Membrane

The membrane within the cochlea where the auditory receptors (hair cells) are located.

Place Theory

The theory proposing that pitch perception corresponds to the vibration of different portions or specific locations along the basler membrane.

Frequency Theory

The theory proposing that pitch perception corresponds to the rate at which the entire basler membrane vibrates in unison.

Auditory Localization

The ability to locate sound sources based on the intensity of the sound and the timing of when sound waves hit each ear.