The Human Ear


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

The Human Ear

How our Ears catch sound: We have just learnt how sound vibrations from a source propagate through the air and reach out ears. Let us now discuss how our ears actually ‘hear’ these sound vibrations. The ear can be broadly classified into three parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear.

Outer ear:  The part of the outer ear that is visible to us is called pinna. The sound collected passes through auditary canal. At the end of auditory canal there is a thin membrane called the ear drum or tympanic membrane. When compression of medium produced due to vibration of the object reaches the ear drum, the pressure on the outside of the membrane increases and forces the ear drum inwards.

Middle ear: The middle ear is the cavity with three important ear bones. The moddle ear transmits the amplified pressure variations recieved from the sound wave to the inner ear.

Inner ear:  In the inner ear, the pressure variations are turned into electrical signals by the chochlea. These electrical signals are than sent to the brain via the auditory nerve, and the barin interprets them as sound. 

                                               

Sample Questions
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Question : 1

Human ears can sense sound waves travelling in air having wavelength of ________________________

Right Option : C
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Question : 2

Which of the following are correct :

(a) The part of the outer ear that is visible to us is called pinna.

(b) The middle ear is the cavity with three important ear bones.

(c) In the inner ear, the pressure variations are turned into electrical signals by the chochlea.

Right Option : D
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Explanation
Question : 3

Identify the characteristic of a sound _________________

Right Option : D
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