Question 1

The cochlea is located in the:
A) outer ear.
B) middle ear.
C) inner ear.
D) dendrites.

Accepted Answer

The cochlea is a part of the inner ear, responsible for converting sound vibrations into electrical signals that the brain can interpret as sound.

Question 2

_____ is one of the MOST important physical dimensions of sound.
A) Timbre
B) Pitch
C) Loudness
D) Waveform

Accepted Answer

D

Question 3

The perceptual dimension of sound that is related to the physical dimension of amplitude is known as:
A) timbre.
B) pitch.
C) frequency.
D) loudness.

Accepted Answer

Loudness is the perceptual dimension of sound that correlates with the physical dimension of amplitude. The greater the amplitude of a sound wave, the louder the sound is perceived.

Question 4

In the process of sound amplification, the incus displaces the _____ that transmits vibrations to the oval window.
A) hammer
B) round window
C) stapes
D) cochlea

Accepted Answer

The incus, one of the three bones in the middle ear, transmits vibrations to the stapes, which then sends these vibrations to the oval window to be further processed into sound by the inner ear.

Question 5

According to the audibility curve, auditory sensitivity is maximal at frequencies in the range of _____ Hz.
A) 20 to 200
B) 100 to 1,000
C) 500 to 5,000
D) 5,000 to 50,000

Accepted Answer

The audibility curve, which maps out the sensitivity of human hearing across different frequencies, shows that humans have the greatest sensitivity to sounds in the range of 500 to 5,000 Hz. This range encompasses most of the frequencies of human speech, which is why our hearing is most acute in this range.

Question 6

The perceptual dimension of sound that corresponds to the physical dimension of frequency is known as:
A) timbre.
B) pitch.
C) loudness.
D) amplitude.

Accepted Answer

Pitch is the perceptual dimension of sound that directly corresponds to the physical dimension of frequency. Higher frequencies are perceived as higher pitches, and lower frequencies as lower pitches.

Question 7

A curve showing the minimum amplitude at which sounds can be detected at each frequency is known as the _____.
A) audibility curve
B) absolute threshold curve
C) harmonic curve
D) fundamental frequency curve

Accepted Answer

The audibility curve represents the threshold of hearing at different frequencies, showing the minimum amplitude at which sounds can be detected.

Question 8

The _____ is a small bone in the inner ear that transmits sound energy from the tympanic membrane to the incus.
A) stapes
B) malleus
C) hamate
D) pinna

Accepted Answer

The malleus is one of the three ossicles in the middle ear that transmit sound from the tympanic membrane (ear drum) to the inner ear. The malleus directly attaches to the tympanic membrane and connects to the incus, another ossicle.

Question 9

The amplitude for pain threshold is _____ dB SPL.
A) 60
B) 80
C) 100
D) 120

Accepted Answer

The amplitude for pain threshold is typically around 120 dB SPL. This is the level at which sound becomes painfully loud for most people.

Question 10

A Fourier analysis of a note played on a flute and a guitar would show that the:
A) flute is always louder than the guitar.
B) flute plays a different fundamental frequency.
C) flute and guitar produce different harmonic frequencies at the same amplitude.
D) flute and guitar produce the same harmonic frequencies but at different amplitudes.

Accepted Answer

The fundamental frequency of a note (which determines its pitch) is the same on any instrument playing that note, but the timbre (characteristic sound) of the note differs due to different harmonic frequencies being emphasized (i.e., played at different amplitudes). This is why the same note sounds different on a flute versus a guitar. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because loudness is not inherently greater in flutes, the fundamental frequency is not instrument-dependent for the same note, and while the harmonic frequencies are the same for a given note, their amplitudes vary between instruments, not the frequencies themselves.

Question 11

In the context of audibility curve, MOST human speech sounds fall in the range of _____ Hz.
A) 20 to 200
B) 100 to 1,000
C) 500 to 5,000
D) 5,000 to50,000

Accepted Answer

Most human speech sounds fall within the range of 500 to 5,000 Hz, which is where the human ear has the greatest sensitivity.

Question 12

Giselle sings in a B-flat note, while her brother plays his trumpet in the same note. The pitch and loudness in both of these cases are the same. The difference in sound quality between these two sounds is called:
A) harmonics.
B) frequency.
C) timbre.
D) amplitude.

Accepted Answer

The difference in sound quality between two sounds that have the same pitch and loudness but are produced by different instruments (or sources) is referred to as timbre. Timbre is what allows us to distinguish between different instruments or voices even when they are playing the same note at the same volume.

Question 13

A(n) _____ is a physical unit used to measure sound amplitude and is logarithmically related to sound pressure measured in micropascals.
A) decibel
B) hertz
C) ampere
D) volt

Accepted Answer

Decibels (dB) are used to measure sound amplitude and are logarithmically related to sound pressure, which is measured in micropascals.

Question 14

The fundamental frequency for a periodic sound with the second harmonic of 200 Hz and the third harmonic of 300 Hz would be _____ Hz.
A) 60
B) 80
C) 100
D) 150

Accepted Answer

The fundamental frequency is the frequency of the first harmonic. Since the second harmonic is 200 Hz and the third harmonic is 300 Hz, the first harmonic (fundamental frequency) would be 100 Hz, as harmonics are integer multiples of the fundamental frequency.

Question 15

The auditory canal is located in the:
A) outer ear.
B) middle ear.
C) Eustachian tube.
D) tectorial membrane.

Accepted Answer

The auditory canal, also known as the external auditory canal or ear canal, is part of the outer ear. It is the tube through which sound waves travel towards the eardrum.

Question 16

The _____ of a periodic sound wave refers to the number of cycles per second.
A) frequency
B) amplitude
C) pitch
D) loudness

Accepted Answer

The frequency of a periodic sound wave is defined as the number of cycles (complete vibrations or oscillations) it makes per second, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Question 17

The _____ is the outermost portion of the ear that is shaped somewhat like a funnel and consists of fat and cartilage with various random-looking folds and ridges in it.
A) tympanic membrane
B) cochlea
C) malleus
D) pinna

Accepted Answer

The pinna is the outermost part of the ear, which is visible on the side of the head and is primarily composed of cartilage and skin. It functions like a funnel to direct sound waves into the ear canal.

Question 18

The _____ is a fluid-filled part of the inner ear.
A) Eustachian tube
B) tympanic membrane
C) cochlea
D) pinna

Accepted Answer

The cochlea is a fluid-filled, spiral-shaped cavity in the inner ear that plays a key role in the sense of hearing by converting sound vibrations into nerve impulses.

Question 19

Pure tones can be approximated by the sound of a:
A) piano.
B) guitar.
C) trumpet.
D) flute.

Accepted Answer

Flutes produce sounds that are closer to pure tones compared to other instruments listed because they generate a waveform that is more sinusoidal, which is characteristic of a pure tone. Other instruments, such as pianos, guitars, and trumpets, produce more complex sounds with a richer harmonic content.

Question 20

The _____ forms an air-tight seal between the outer ear and the middle ear and vibrates in response to the sound waves that strike it.
A) Eustachian tube
B) oval window
C) basilar membrane
D) tympanic membrane

Accepted Answer

The tympanic membrane, also known as the eardrum, forms an air-tight seal between the outer ear and the middle ear and vibrates in response to sound waves, playing a crucial role in hearing.

Quiz 10: Sound and the Ears

The cochlea is located in the:

_____ is one of the MOST important physical dimensions of sound.

The perceptual dimension of sound that is related to the physical dimension of amplitude is known as:

In the process of sound amplification, the incus displaces the _____ that transmits vibrations to the oval window.

According to the audibility curve, auditory sensitivity is maximal at frequencies in the range of _____ Hz.

The perceptual dimension of sound that corresponds to the physical dimension of frequency is known as:

A curve showing the minimum amplitude at which sounds can be detected at each frequency is known as the _____.

The _____ is a small bone in the inner ear that transmits sound energy from the tympanic membrane to the incus.

The amplitude for pain threshold is _____ dB SPL.

A Fourier analysis of a note played on a flute and a guitar would show that the:

In the context of audibility curve, MOST human speech sounds fall in the range of _____ Hz.

Giselle sings in a B-flat note, while her brother plays his trumpet in the same note. The pitch and loudness in both of these cases are the same. The difference in sound quality between these two sounds is called:

A(n) _____ is a physical unit used to measure sound amplitude and is logarithmically related to sound pressure measured in micropascals.

The fundamental frequency for a periodic sound with the second harmonic of 200 Hz and the third harmonic of 300 Hz would be _____ Hz.

The auditory canal is located in the:

The _____ of a periodic sound wave refers to the number of cycles per second.

The _____ is the outermost portion of the ear that is shaped somewhat like a funnel and consists of fat and cartilage with various random-looking folds and ridges in it.

The _____ is a fluid-filled part of the inner ear.

Pure tones can be approximated by the sound of a:

The _____ forms an air-tight seal between the outer ear and the middle ear and vibrates in response to the sound waves that strike it.