Sound Waves and Hearing

• What are sound waves essentially described as?

  Vibrations passing through a medium
• How do sound waves travel through materials?

  By causing particles to vibrate and collide
• What type of wave are sound waves classified as?

  Longitudinal waves
• What are compressions in sound waves?

  Regions where particles are closest together
• What are rarefactions in sound waves?

  Regions where particles are furthest apart
• How do sound waves transmit through solids?

  By causing particles to vibrate and collide
• Why do sound waves travel faster in solids?

  Particles are more densely packed
• Why can't sound travel through a vacuum?

  There are no particles to vibrate
• What happens to sound waves when they move between different mediums?

  Their speed changes, but frequency remains constant
• What does the equation speed = frequency × wavelength imply?

  If speed increases, wavelength must increase
• What happens to the wavelength as sound speeds up?

  The wavelength gets longer
• What happens to the wavelength as sound slows down?

  The wavelength gets shorter
• What phenomenon occurs when sound changes speed between mediums?

  Sound can be refracted
• What surfaces reflect sound waves the most?

  Hard flat surfaces
• What is the role of the ear canal in hearing?

  It channels sound waves to the eardrum
• What happens when sound waves hit the eardrum?

  They cause the eardrum to vibrate
• What are ossicles?

  A group of three small bones in the ear
• What does the cochlea do?

  Converts vibrations into electrical signals
• How does the auditory nerve function?

  It sends signals to the brain
• How does the brain interpret sound signals?

  Higher frequencies are seen as higher pitches
• What is the typical human hearing range?

  20 hertz to 20,000 hertz
• How does aging affect hearing range?

  It generally decreases due to wear and tear
• What is the function of the semicircular canals?

  They help with balance and spatial orientation
• What gives us echoes?

  Reflection of sound waves from hard surfaces
• How do sound waves differ from light waves in terms of travel?

  Sound requires a medium, light does not
• What are the key components of the human ear involved in hearing?

  • Ear canal
  • Eardrum
  • Ossicles (three small bones)
  • Semicircular canals
  • Cochlea
  • Auditory nerve
• What are the processes involved in human hearing?

  1. Sound waves travel through the ear canal
  2. Sound waves vibrate the eardrum
  3. Vibrations are transmitted through ossicles
  4. Vibrations reach the cochlea
  5. Cochlea converts vibrations to electrical signals
  6. Signals sent to the brain via auditory nerve