Study Questions: Sound and the Ear
1. What is the physical stimulus for hearing? Briefly describe
its physical properties, and the perceptual correlates of each. Sketch
the Fourier spectrum of a pure tone and that of a white noise stimulus.
2. Briefly describe the scale used to represent physical sound
intensity. What is a decibel? Why do we use decibels? Define 0 dB SPL.
3. Name the three components of the ear, the medium used by each
of them to transmit sound energy, and the boundaries between them.
Briefly describe the major functions of each component.
4. Briefly describe how the middle ear acts as a mechanical
transformer, matching the low impedance of air to the far higher
impedance of the fluid in the cochlea.
5. Briefly describe the acoustic reflex.
6. Briefly describe how acoustical signals are transduced within
the cochlea.
7. Briefly describe the auditory pathway. Define tonotopic
organization.