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Audition 2022 - Class 1

The document provides an overview of sound, its qualities, and the anatomy of the ear. It explains sound as a form of energy produced by vibrations, detailing concepts such as pitch, loudness, and the functions of the external, middle, and inner ear. The text also covers the mechanisms of sound conduction, impedance matching, and the tympanic reflex, highlighting the ear's role in sound localization and protection from loud noises.

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Harshith
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3 views46 pages

Audition 2022 - Class 1

The document provides an overview of sound, its qualities, and the anatomy of the ear. It explains sound as a form of energy produced by vibrations, detailing concepts such as pitch, loudness, and the functions of the external, middle, and inner ear. The text also covers the mechanisms of sound conduction, impedance matching, and the tympanic reflex, highlighting the ear's role in sound localization and protection from loud noises.

Uploaded by

Harshith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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AUDITION - 1

Sound

• Sound is a form of energy produced by a vibrating object

• A sound wave consists of alternating phases of condensation


and rarefaction of molecules of the medium (air, liquid, or solid)
in which it travels

• Velocity depend on medium of transmission

• 344 m/s in air


Qualities of Sound
Shrillness ( Pitch )

• Subjective sensation produced by the frequency of sound

• Frequency refers to the number of waves/ second

• Unit : Hertz ( Hz )

• Human ear can hear between 20 – 20,000 Hz

• Maximum sensitivity : 1000-3000 Hz


Pure tone
• A single frequency sound

Complex sound
• With more than one frequency (eg. human voice)

Musical sounds:
• Fundamental frequency --- determine pitch
• Harmonics (overtones)--- gives timbre (quality)

Noise :
• Aperiodic nonrepeating (irregular) vibrations
Pure tone

Pure tone - louder

Pure tone - ↑ pitch

Musical sounds

Noise
Loudness

• It is the subjective sensation produced by intensity

• Depends on amplitude of pressure waves

• Higher the amplitude louder the sound


• Bel: unit of measurement of intensity
• Decibel (dB) is commonly used
• Range of hearing: 0-120 dB

At a distance of 1m
• 0 dB --- threshold of hearing (0.0002dynes/cm2)
• 30dB --- whispering
• 60dB --- conversation
• 80dB --- heavy traffic
• 90dB --- shouting
• 120dB --- discomfort
• >120db --- pain
Masking

• Presence of one sound ↓ ability to hear other sounds

• Relative /absolute refractoriness of auditory receptors or


nerve fibres

• Related to pitch

• Raises auditory threshold


Ear
Mechanisms for

• Sound localization

• Discrimination

• Avoiding unwanted sounds


Parts of ear

External ear (pinna & external auditory meatus)

Middle ear

Inner ear (labyrinth)


External ear

Pinna - Elastic cartilage covered with skin


External Auditory Meatus
External auditory meatus

• 2.5cm long

• Outer ⅓ --- cartilage Inner ⅔ --- bony

• Passes downwards, forwards & medially

• Contains stiff hairs, ceruminous & sebaceous glands

• Ear wax : secretion of ceruminous & sebaceous glands &


desquamated epithelium
Functions of external ear

• Directs sound towards TM & Amplifies sound

• Helps in localization of sound

• Protects TM from injury

• Prevents entry of foreign body

• Maintains favorable temperature & humidity for ear drum


Tympanic membrane

• Semi-transparent pearly white membrane

• Separates ext. ear from middle ear

• Thickness : 0.1mm

• Diameter : 9-10 mm
Tympanic membrane

• Functions as a resonator - reproduces the vibrations of the


sound source

• Adds 15-20 dB to sound pressure over a frequency from 2-7kHz

• Stops vibrating almost immediately when sound waves stop


Middle ear

• Air filled cavity in petrous part of temporal bone


Middle Ear has …

• 3 ossicles
Malleus
Incus
stapes

• 2 muscles
Tensor tympani
stapedius
Ossicles of middle ear

• Forms a mechanical linkage between TM & oval window

Connections:
• Handle of the malleus is attached to the back of tympanic
membrane

• Short process of malleus to incus by ligaments

• Incus to head of stapes by ligaments

• Footplate of stapes to oval window by annular ligament


Muscles of middle ear

Tensor tympani:
• Attached to handle of malleus
• Supplied by 5th nerve

• Keeps TM taut
• Pulls handle of malleus medially

• ↓ vibrations of tympanic membrane


Stapedius :
• Attached to stapes

• Supplied by VII nerve

• Contraction pulls stapes outwards

• ↓ sound transmission

• Round window (below oval window): covered by


secondary TM
Eustachian tube

• Middle ear → eustachian tube → nasopharynx → exterior

• ET opens during swallowing, yawning & chewing

• Equalizes the pressure on either side of TM


Functions of middle ear
1.Conduction of sound waves from external to inner ear

Sound waves on TM → to & fro movements


↓
Ossicles move as single unit
↓
Rocking movement of oval window
↓
Vibrations in fluid in inner ear
2.Impedance matching
• As sound passes from medium of air to fluid medium in the inner
ear most sound reflected back

• Due to difference in acoustic properties of two media

• Chance of 99.9 % loss of acoustic energy

• Resistance overcome by impedance matching by ↑ sound pressure


2 mechanisms:

• Difference in cross sectional area of TM & oval window

• Ossicular lever system


Difference in cross sectional area

• Cross sectional area of TM: 55 mm2

• Area of oval window: 3.2mm2

• Magnification of sound pressure: 17 times


Ossicular lever system
• Greater length of handle of malleus compared to long process of
incus

• Ossicular chain lever ratio =1.3:1

• ↑ force of movement by 1.3 times


• Total pressure exerted by sound waves at oval window is 22 times
(17 x 1.3) more than pressure exerted on TM

• 60% sound energy at TM is conducted to fluid in inner ear at


frequency < 3000Hz

• Removal of TM & ossicles → loud sounds heard as whispers


3.Tympanic reflex (Attenuation reflex)

• Guards inner ear from destructive loud sounds

• Evoked by loud sounds of low frequency

• Sound delivered to one ear causes reflex middle ear muscle


contraction

• Tensor tympani pulls handle of malleus inwards

• Stapedius pulls foot plate of stapes outwards restricting


movement of ossicular chain
• Threshold of activation: 70 db

• Force of contraction ↑ with ↑ in intensity upto 100 db

• Latent period : 40-80 msec.

• No protection against sudden loud sounds like explosions & gun


shot

• Provide some protection by contracting in anticipation of sudden


loud sounds
• Also helps in masking environmental noises

• Mask low-frequency sounds in loud environments

• This usually removes a major share of the background noise

• Allows the person to concentrate on sounds above 1000 Hz

• Most of the pertinent information in voice communication is


transmitted above 1000Hz
4. ↓ sensitivity to one’s own voice

• By the collateral signals that are sent to middle ear muscles

• Permits conservation

• Middle ear muscle contraction associated with vocalization is not a


reflex response as they contract in anticipation
5. ET equalizes pressure on either side of TM

• Obstruction of ET → absorption of air in middle ear → pressure falls


→ bulging of TM to middle ear → ear ache & loss of hearing

• Unequal pressure in diving & flying as there is rapid changes in atm.


pressure

• At high altitude low atm. pressure →middle ear air expands →


↑ pressure →TM bulges outward→ discomfort

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