Question 1

Prolonged exposure to loud noises affects the hair cells that are closest to the oval window first.What types of sounds might a person with noise-induced hearing loss have the most trouble detecting?

Accepted Answer

Since noise-induced hearing loss affects the hair cells closest to the oval window first, which are responsible for the detection of high-frequency sounds, a person with this type of hearing loss would have the most trouble detecting high-frequency sounds.

Question 2

The process by which a sound is transformed into a neural signal involves which of the following sequences of transformations?

Accepted Answer

The correct sequence for transforming a sound into a neural signal starts with the sound wave, which first causes the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted as pressure waves in the fluid of the inner ear, where they can be converted into neural signals by the auditory nerve.

Question 3

Yuming becomes nauseous while driving down a curvy mountain road.Her uncomfortable feeling is due to

Accepted Answer

Nausea in this scenario is caused by conflicting signals between the visual system (what the eyes see) and the vestibular system (which helps control balance and spatial orientation in the inner ear). When the visual and vestibular inputs do not match, it can lead to motion sickness.

Question 4

What is retained by people with hearing aids but lost in people who receive cochlear implants?

Accepted Answer

People with cochlear implants typically have severe to profound hearing loss and have lost all of their residual normal hearing. Hearing aids may still provide some amplification for residual hearing in people with hearing loss. The cochlea, middle frequencies, and the ear drum are not necessarily retained specifically by people with hearing aids and lost in people with cochlear implants.

Question 5

Whales and elephants have the ability to distinguish much lower frequency sounds than humans can.What kind of process might be more developed in a whale or elephant's cochlea than it is in a human's cochlea?

Accepted Answer

Temporal coding is the process of encoding sound information in the time domain. This is done by measuring the time between the peaks of sound waves. Whales and elephants have a more developed temporal coding system than humans, which allows them to distinguish between sounds that are very close in frequency.

Question 6

Dogs can hear higher-frequency sounds than people can.This fact suggests that there is an anatomical difference in the

Accepted Answer

The basilar membrane is the anatomical structure in the inner ear responsible for detecting different frequencies of sound. Dogs have a different structure in their basilar membrane than humans, which allows them to detect higher-frequency sounds. The ear drum and ossicles help to transmit sound waves to the inner ear, but they are not directly responsible for detecting different frequencies. The auditory nerve processes the information sent by the basilar membrane, but its structure is not different between dogs and humans.

Question 7

With respect to the properties of the sound wave, a higher-pitched sound is one that is higher in , which is measured in .

Accepted Answer

Pitch refers to the frequency of a sound wave, which is measured in hertz (Hz). Amplitude, on the other hand, refers to the intensity or loudness of a sound wave, which is measured in decibels (dB). Therefore, option C is the correct choice.

Question 8

The primary auditory cortex is located in which brain lobe?

Accepted Answer

The primary auditory cortex is located in the temporal lobe, specifically in the superior temporal gyrus. It is responsible for processing auditory information and is one of the major areas involved in hearing.

Question 9

Temporal coding encodes sounds, while place coding encodes sounds.

Accepted Answer

Temporal coding is used for encoding low-frequency sounds, whereas place coding is used for encoding high-frequency sounds.

Question 10

Torri is 2 years old and was born with a severe hearing impairment.Her parents both have congenital hearing loss as well.Torri currently has hearing aids to help her hear, but her parents are considering a cochlear implant for her.What would be most likely to keep Torri's parents from agreeing to the procedure?

Accepted Answer

Torri's parents may choose not to get her a cochlear implant because they want her to be a part of the deaf community, which may view deafness as a cultural identity rather than a disability. Cochlear implants have been a topic of debate within the deaf community, with some seeing it as a way to "fix" something that is not broken and potentially isolating individuals from their deaf peers. Therefore, Torri's parents may prioritize her cultural identity and sense of belonging over the potential benefits of a cochlear implant.

Question 11

Imagine a very tiny person is walking through the auditory tract, from the ear canal through to the auditory nerve.When that tiny person reaches the cochlea and walks along the basilar membrane, frequency sounds will disturb their walk most at the base of the cochlea, and
Frequency sounds will disturb their walk most at the tip of the cochlea.

Accepted Answer

The basilar membrane of the cochlea is tonotopically organized, meaning that different frequencies of sound waves are processed in different areas. High frequency sounds, such as the sounds of consonants, will disturb the tiny person's walk most at the base of the cochlea, while low frequency sounds, such as the sounds of vowels, will disturb their walk most at the tip of the cochlea. Therefore, option C is the best choice.

Question 12

Juan and Joseph are opera singers.Juan is a baritone; Joseph has a higher-pitched tenor voice.The sound waves from Juan's voice are lower in than those from Joseph's voice, and they are lower in .

Accepted Answer

Juan's voice as a baritone has lower frequency sound waves compared to Joseph's tenor voice, and frequency is measured in hertz.

Question 13

Place coding occurs mostly at the of the basilar membrane, while temporal coding takes place mostly at the of the basilar membrane.

Accepted Answer

Place coding occurs mostly at the base of the basilar membrane, where high-frequency sounds are detected. Temporal coding, on the other hand, takes place mostly at the tip of the basilar membrane, where low-frequency sounds are detected. Therefore, the correct choice is B, where tip corresponds to temporal coding and base corresponds to place coding.

Question 14

The base of the cochlea responds to sounds, while the tip of the cochlea responds to sounds.

Accepted Answer

The base of the cochlea responds to high frequency sounds, while the tip of the cochlea responds to low frequency sounds. This is known as tonotopic organization, where different frequencies are processed in different parts of the cochlea. Additionally, the amplitude of the sound does not affect where it is processed in the cochlea.

Question 15

If a key is pressed on a piano, the frequency of the resulting sound waves will determine the , and the amplitude will determine the of the perceived musical note.

Accepted Answer

Frequency determines the pitch of the note, while amplitude determines the loudness. Timbre refers to the quality of the sound and is determined by the harmonics present in the sound wave. Intensity refers to the strength of the sound wave and is related to loudness, but is not the same thing.

Question 16

Sean is 3 years old and was born with a severe hearing impairment, but his parents both have normal hearing.Sean currently has hearing aids to help him hear, but his parents are considering a cochlear implant for him.What would be most likely to keep Sean's parents from agreeing to the procedure?

Accepted Answer

Sean's parents may be worried that the cochlear implant may cause him to lose his residual hearing. This is a common concern as the implant involves inserting electrodes into the inner ear and there is a chance that the procedure may damage the remaining hair cells. They may also be concerned about the risks associated with the surgery and the recovery period, as well as the cost of the implant. They may also have cultural or personal beliefs about the use of technology to address hearing impairments. However, it is important to note that cochlear implants have been proven to be safe and effective in improving hearing in children with profound hearing loss, and can greatly improve their quality of life and ability to communicate.

Question 17

Cameron has an inner ear infection.In addition to the pain in his ear, Cameron is most likely to

Accepted Answer

Inner ear infections can affect the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and spatial orientation. This can lead to dizziness and difficulty with balance. Double vision and loss of appetite are not typically associated with inner ear infections.

Question 18

The attitude of a large segment of the deaf community to cochlear implants is that children should

Accepted Answer

Many in the deaf community view cochlear implants with skepticism or opposition, fearing that widespread use of the technology could undermine deaf culture and the use of sign language. They argue for preserving deaf culture by not promoting the use of cochlear implants, especially in children.

Question 19

Amanda plays the violin professionally and can easily distinguish between a high C note and a high B note.What kind of process is responsible for Amanda's ability to make this distinction and where does it take place?

Accepted Answer

Place coding, which occurs at the base of the basilar membrane, is responsible for distinguishing between high-frequency sounds, such as the difference between a high C note and a high B note.

Question 20

The auditory neurons extending from the reach out with their axons to the primary auditory cortex A1) in the .

Accepted Answer

The auditory neurons extend their axons from the thalamus to the primary auditory cortex (A1), which is located in the temporal lobe. This pathway is crucial for the processing of auditory information.

Quiz 5: Sensation and Perception