Question 1

You're waiting to cross a busy city street as a city bus pulls upto the curb. As the driver stops the bus, the brakes squeal loudly. A few people get on, and then the bus pulls away from the curb. As the bus accelerates, the engine labors into gearand exhaust fumes spew out the back. The high-pitched squealof the brakes was caused by _____ sound waves, and the equally loud but low-pitched roar of the engine was caused by_____ sound waves.

Accepted Answer

The high-pitched squeal of the brakes indicates high frequency sound waves, while the low-pitched roar of the engine indicates low frequency sound waves.

Question 2

Unlike the sensory receptor cells for hearing and vision,olfactory neurons:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Unlike the sensory receptor cells for hearing...

Question 3

According to place theory:

Accepted Answer

According to place theory, different wave frequencies cause larger vibrations at different locations along the basilar membrane. This allows the brain to interpret pitch based on which area of the membrane is most strongly stimulated.

Question 4

The basilar membrane:

Accepted Answer

The basilar membrane is a structure that lies within the coiled cochlea of the inner ear. It is a crucial component involved in the process of hearing.

Question 5

Taste is to _____ as smell is to _____.

Accepted Answer

Taste is to gustation as smell is to olfaction.

Question 6

Pitch is determined by the:

Accepted Answer

Pitch is determined by the frequency or rate of vibration of a sound wave. Higher frequencies result in higher pitched sounds, while lower frequencies result in lower pitched sounds. Intensity or amplitude (A) determines the loudness of a sound, decibel level (B) is a measure of the intensity or loudness of a sound, and complexity (D) refers to the number and combination of frequencies present in a sound wave, which can affect its timbre or quality, but not necessarily its pitch.

Question 7

According to frequency theory, the basilar membrane:

Accepted Answer

According to frequency theory, the basilar membrane in the cochlea of the ear vibrates at the same frequency as the sound wave, which allows the auditory nerve to send a corresponding electrical signal to the brain.

Question 8

Nerve deafness is caused by damage to the:

Accepted Answer

Nerve deafness, also known as sensorineural hearing loss, is caused by damage to the hair cells or auditory nerve that transmit sound signals from the inner ear to the brain.

Question 9

Individuals who lack a sense of smell have a condition called:

Accepted Answer

Anosmia is the term used to describe lack of sense of smell. Prosopagnosia is the inability to recognize faces, aphasia is a language disorder, and hemianopia is blindness in half of the visual field in one or both eyes.

Question 10

When the oval window vibrates, the vibration is relayed to the cochlea. As fluid in the cochlea ripples, the vibration, in turn,is transmitted to the:

Accepted Answer

The oval window is connected to the inner ear, specifically the cochlea. As the oval window vibrates, it sets in motion the fluid within the cochlea. This wave-like motion causes the basilar membrane, which is located inside the cochlea, to vibrate. The hair cells located on the basilar membrane are responsible for transducing these mechanical vibrations into electrical signals that are sent to the brain via the auditory nerve. Therefore, the correct answer is A) basilar membrane.

Question 11

Place theory explains how we hear:

Accepted Answer

Place theory explains how we hear high-frequency sounds by suggesting that different parts of the basilar membrane in the inner ear respond to different frequencies, and that the brain determines pitch based on which part of the membrane is stimulated.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Place theory explains how people hear high-pitched sounds, while frequency theory explains how people hear low-pitched sounds. This statement accurately describes the two theories. Place theory proposes that the location on the basilar membrane that vibrates the most strongly determines the pitch we perceive, explaining how we hear high-pitched sounds. On the other hand, frequency theory proposes that the rate at which hair cells in the cochlea fire action potentials determines the pitch we perceive, explaining how we hear low-pitched sounds.

Question 13

There are two basic theoretical explanations of how we sense the pitch of a sound: frequency theory and place theory.Which theory best explains our sensation of sounds that have a pitch in the mid-range frequency?

Accepted Answer

The answer of There are two basic theoretical explanations of...

Question 14

After many years of playing extremely loud rock music, Pete Townshend of the famous rock group The Who has suffered asignificant hearing loss, which cannot be corrected with a hearing aid. Townshend is suffering from:

Accepted Answer

Nerve deafness, also known as sensorineural hearing loss, is often caused by damage to the hair cells in the inner ear, which can be permanently damaged by exposure to very loud noise over an extended period of time. This type of hearing loss cannot be corrected with a hearing aid.

Question 15

Most of the sounds that we hear are:

Accepted Answer

Most sounds that we hear in real life are complex and consist of several frequencies. This complexity of sound is what allows us to distinguish between different sounds and perceive them as unique. Highly saturated sounds (A) and sounds that are just above the sensory threshold (D) are not common in everyday experience, and simple sounds consisting of a single frequency (B) are relatively rare.

Question 16

The auditory nerve transmits neural signals to the:

Accepted Answer

The auditory nerve sends neural signals to the thalamus, which processes and relays information to the auditory cortex in the brain, where sound is perceived and processed. The olfactory cortex is responsible for processing smells, not sounds. The amygdala plays a role in emotion and memory, but is not directly involved in auditory processing. The auditory bulb is a structure found within the inner ear that helps to transmit sound waves to the auditory nerve, but it is not directly involved in neural signaling.

Question 17

How are auditory stimuli transmitted to the brain?

Accepted Answer

When sound waves enter the ear, they cause the eardrum to vibrate, which sets the three tiny bones (anvil, hammer, and stirrup) in motion. This motion eventually bends hair cells in the cochlea, which stimulates the auditory nerve to send signals to the brain for processing.

Question 18

Frequency theory explains how we hear:

Accepted Answer

Frequency theory proposes that the rate of nerve impulses traveling up the auditory nerve matches the frequency of a tone, allowing us to perceive very low-frequency sounds below 500 hertz.

Question 19

Young Gabriel can quite easily hear pitches ranging from 20to 20,000 hertz. His ability to sense high-frequency sounds above 1,000 hertz is best explained by the _____ theory of pitch discrimination.

Accepted Answer

The place theory of pitch discrimination suggests that different frequencies activate different parts, or places, along the cochlea. High-frequency sounds, such as those above 1,000 hertz, are thought to stimulate the base of the cochlea, whereas low-frequency sounds stimulate the apex. This is the best explanation for Gabriel's ability to sense high-frequency sounds above 1,000 hertz.

Question 20

Smell and taste receptors respond to what type of stimuli?

Accepted Answer

Smell and taste receptors respond specifically to chemical molecules. Vibrations in the air and electromagnetic waves are detected by different types of receptors, while airborne nociceptors are receptors that detect painful or irritating stimuli such as smoke or dust in the air.

Quiz 3: Sensation and Perception