Hearing and Ear Anatomy Flashcards

Flashcards reviewing key vocabulary terms and structures related to human hearing, ear anatomy, hearing loss, pitch theories, and balance.

Pitch

The perceptual quality of sound determined by the frequency or length of the sound wave.

Amplitude

The amount of energy in a sound wave, which determines its loudness.

Hammer

A middle ear bone that sends sound vibrations to the anvil.

Anvil

A middle ear bone that receives sound from the hammer and sends it to the stirrup.

Stirrup

A middle ear bone that receives sound from the anvil and sends it to the inner ear.

Cochlea

A coiled, bony, fluid-filled wave tube in the inner ear.

Cilia

Tiny hair cells in the inner ear that produce an electrical signal when vibrating.

Sensorineural hearing loss

Hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear, specifically to the cochlea's hair receptors or the auditory nerve.

Conduction hearing loss

Hearing loss caused by damage to the mechanical system of the outer and middle ear, usually caused by genetics and aging.

Cochlear implant

A device that converts sound into electrical signals and stimulates the auditory nerve through electrodes threaded into the cochlea.

Place theory

A theory of pitch perception stating that the place on the cochlea's membrane stimulated by sound waves determines the pitch heard; it only explains high-pitched sounds.

Frequency theory

A theory of pitch perception stating that nerves fire at the same rate as the sound wave, where a lower frequency results in slower neuron firing and lower pitch.

Volley theory

A theory that solves the limitation of frequency theory (neurons only firing up to 1000 times a second) by explaining how neural firing combines to achieve higher frequencies.

Vestibular sense

The body's sense of balance, controlled by the semicircular canals and vestibular sacs in the inner ear.

Semicircular canals

Structures in the inner ear that, together with vestibular sacs, control the body's sense of balance.

Sound localization

The ability to locate sound in three dimensions, made possible because two ears receive sound at slightly different times and intensities.

Decibel scale

A scale measuring sound volume, ranging from 0 dB (threshold of hearing) to 140 dB (threshold of severe pain).

Anatomy of the Ear

The structural system comprising the outer ear (receives sound waves), middle ear (amplifies sound via hammer, anvil, stirrup), and inner ear (cochlea, cilia, auditory nerve).

Pinna

The external ear flap that directs sound waves into the ear canal.