How we Hear

Auditory transduction oc oc

Hair cells

Stereocilia Organelle Converts the mechanical energy into chemical energy  action potential

transduction

Sound Travels at 760 miles/hour – depends on temp and humidity. One mile? Pitch Loudness Timbre

Pitch frequency (wavelength) – inverse relationship

Different groups of hair cells responsible for different frequencies Healthy human ear can hear frequencies ranging from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz

Audiogram

Loudness Results from the difference in pressure between the compressed areas and the rarefied areas of the wave. Greater difference = louder

Damage to hair cells

In 2001, 5.2 million children (6-19) suffered from noise-induced hearing loss Listening to music on earphones at max level for 15 minutes per day is enough to cause permanent damage