The brain determines loudness of a sound by the number of neurons that are firing and the rate at which they fire.

Question

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The brain determines loudness of a sound by the number of neurons that are firing and the rate at which they fire. This is called the neural code for sound intensity, and it is necessary for the perception of loudness. As the sound waves enter the ear, they cause the inner ear hair cells to fire, which sends signals to the brain through the auditory nerve. The brain then interprets these signals to give us the sensation of sound, including its loudness.

The Brain Determines Loudness of a Sound by the Number