Question 1

According to the inverse-square law, as distance from a source _______, intensity _______ faster such that the _______ in intensity is the distance squared.

Accepted Answer

The inverse-square law states that as the distance from a source increases, the intensity of the effect (such as light or gravity) decreases at a rate proportional to the square of the distance. This means the decrease in intensity is the square of the distance increase.

Question 2

Refer to the figure.
 This figure demonstrates that the relative amounts of direct and reverberant energy coming from the listener's neighbor and the singer will inform him of the

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
 This figure demonstrates...

Question 3

Suppose you get a new ear piercing that dramatically changes the shape of your pinna and causes you to have trouble localizing sounds. From which direction will you have the hardest time localizing sounds, and why?

Accepted Answer

The pinna plays a crucial role in helping us localize sounds vertically (above, below, in front, behind) by altering the sound waves that reach the eardrum, a process described by the head-related transfer function (HRTF) or direction transfer function. Changes in the shape of the pinna can disrupt this process, making it particularly difficult to localize sounds from above.

Question 4

Which term describes the spectrum of a complex sound in which energy is at integer multiples of the fundamental frequency?

Accepted Answer

A harmonic spectrum describes a sound in which the frequencies are integer multiples of a fundamental frequency, representing the harmonics or overtones of the sound.

Question 5

_______ is the lowest-frequency component of a complex periodic sound.

Accepted Answer

The fundamental frequency is the lowest frequency of a periodic waveform, defining its pitch and being the first harmonic of any musical note.

Question 6

Refer to the figure.
 Even if the lowest frequency of a harmonic sound is removed (as in the figure), listeners still hear the pitch of this

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
 Even if the...

Question 7

Refer to the figure.
 This figure demonstrates that when only three harmonics of the same fundamental frequency are presented (B-D), listeners still hear the pitch of the fundamental frequency because the harmonics all

Accepted Answer

The answer of Refer to the figure.
 This figure demonstrates...

Question 8

_______ is the psychological sensation by which a listener can judge that two sounds with the same loudness and pitch are dissimilar.

Accepted Answer

Timbre is the quality of a sound that allows us to distinguish between two sounds that have the same pitch and loudness but sound different. It is often referred to as the "color" or "tone color" of a sound and is determined by the harmonic content of the sound and other dynamic characteristics.

Question 9

_______ is the complex quality of sound that lets us distinguish a note played on the piano from the same note played on a trumpet.

Accepted Answer

Timbre is the quality of a musical note or sound that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices and musical instruments. It is what makes a particular musical sound have a different sound from another, even when they have the same pitch and loudness.

Question 10

The part of a sound during which amplitude increases is known as

Accepted Answer

The attack phase of a sound is the period during which the amplitude increases from zero to its peak value. This is a key component of the ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) model used to describe the sound envelope in music and sound design.

Question 11

The part of a sound during which amplitude decreases is known as

Accepted Answer

The decay of a sound refers to the part during which its amplitude decreases, typically after the initial peak or attack phase.

Question 12

When you pluck the string on a violin rather than use a bow to play the same note, which sound aspect is the most different?

Accepted Answer

Plucking a string results in a different attack, which is the initial part of the sound, compared to using a bow. The attack is sharper and more percussive when plucked.

Question 13

Source segregation involves the

Accepted Answer

Source segregation involves distinguishing different auditory events or sources in the environment, allowing us to focus on specific sounds amidst background noise.

Question 14

_______ is the perceptual organization of a complex acoustic signal into separate auditory events.

Accepted Answer

Auditory stream segregation is the process by which the auditory system organizes sounds into perceptually meaningful elements, allowing us to distinguish different sound sources in a complex acoustic environment.

Question 15

Which of the following describes the phenomenon of, for example, being able to identify the different instruments in a composition based on their distinctive sound characteristics?

Accepted Answer

Grouping by timbre refers to the ability to distinguish and identify different sounds, such as musical instruments, based on their unique sound characteristics or quality. This is what allows us to recognize different instruments in a composition.

Question 16

A very simple example of auditory stream segregation involves two tones with similar frequencies that are

Accepted Answer

Auditory stream segregation occurs when different sounds are perceived as separate streams, and this is most effectively demonstrated when two tones of similar frequencies are alternated. This alternation allows the auditory system to distinguish and segregate the sounds into different streams, rather than blending them into a single auditory experience. Continuous play, synchronous onset, differences in amplitude, or missing fundamentals do not exemplify the basic concept of auditory stream segregation as clearly as alternation does.

Question 17

Which of the following does not contribute to auditory stream segregation?

Accepted Answer

Auditory stream segregation is the process by which the auditory system organizes sound into perceptually meaningful elements. The perceived locations, onset times, timbre, and pitch of sound sources all contribute to this process by providing cues that the auditory system uses to distinguish between different sound sources. The option stating "The different sound sources added together" does not contribute to auditory stream segregation; instead, it describes the combination of sounds, which the auditory system then needs to segregate.

Question 18

Which of the following describes the phenomenon of grouping sounds that begin at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Grouping by onset refers to the auditory system's tendency to perceive sounds that start at the same time as belonging together or forming a coherent auditory stream. This is a principle of auditory scene analysis, where the brain organizes sounds into perceptually meaningful elements.

Question 19

_______ effects have been demonstrated in the laboratory with a wide variety of target sounds and interrupting sounds. The simplest version of such an experiment is to delete portions of a pure tone and replace them with noise.

Accepted Answer

The answer of _______ effects have been demonstrated in the...

Question 20

_______ is a process by which missing or degraded acoustic signals are perceptually replaced.

Accepted Answer

Perceptual restoration is the process where the brain automatically fills in gaps in auditory signals to create a complete perception of the sound, even when parts of it are missing or obscured by other noises.

Quiz 10: Hearing in the Environment

According to the inverse-square law, as distance from a source ___, intensity _ faster such that the _____ in intensity is the distance squared.

Refer to the figure. This figure demonstrates that the relative amounts of direct and reverberant energy coming from the listener's neighbor and the singer will inform him of the