Question 1

The outer ear consists of the:
A)eardrum, the oval window, and the cochlea.
B)anvil, the hammer, and the stirrup.
C)cochlea and the basilar membrane.
D)pinna, the ear canal, and the eardrum.

Accepted Answer

The outer ear consists of the pinna (also known as the auricle), the ear canal (also known as the external auditory canal), and the eardrum (also known as the tympanic membrane).

Question 2

McGillicuddy is an active 80-year-old, but she has trouble hearing. Her hearing improves after she is fitted with a hearing aid. Mrs. McGillicuddy is suffering from _____ deafness, which was probably caused by _____.
A)nerve; exposure to very loud noise
B)conduction; damage to the pinna, the ear canal, and the eardrum.
C)conduction; the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup becoming brittle
D)nerve; deterioration of the auditory nerve

Accepted Answer

Conduction deafness occurs when there is a problem conducting sound waves anywhere along the route through the outer ear, tympanic membrane (eardrum), or middle ear (ossicles: hammer, anvil, and stirrup). In older adults, this can happen due to the ossicles becoming brittle.

Question 3

While you are blindfolded, you are asked to identify the voices of five of your friends. You're able to do so because you recognize the distinctive _____ of each voice.
A)timbre
B)amplitude
C)decibel
D)loudness

Accepted Answer

Timbre refers to the unique quality or tone of a sound, which allows a person to differentiate between different voices even when blindfolded. Amplitude, decibel, and loudness all refer to the intensity or strength of a sound, which may not be distinct enough to differentiate between different voices.

Question 4

If your hammer, anvil, and stirrup become brittle or damaged:
A)you will probably develop nerve deafness.
B)the oval window will vibrate with greater intensity.
C)you may develop conduction deafness.
D)the hair cells in the cochlea will degenerate.

Accepted Answer

If the hammer, anvil, and stirrup become brittle or damaged, the transfer of sound waves from the eardrum to the oval window will be disrupted, resulting in conduction deafness. This is because these three small bones, located in the middle ear, play a crucial role in amplifying and transmitting the sound waves that ultimately reach the inner ear. Damage to these bones can impede their ability to vibrate and transmit sound waves to the inner ear, leading to hearing loss.

Question 5

What causes the eardrum to vibrate?
A)vibrations transmitted by the oval window
B)the vibration of the hammer and anvil
C)sound waves that are funneled down the ear canal
D)the rippling of the fluid in the basilar membrane

Accepted Answer

Sound waves are funneled down the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. This vibration is then transmitted to the middle ear.

Question 6

What units are used to measure the loudness of sound?
A)timbre
B)frequencies
C)decibels
D)pitch

Accepted Answer

Decibels (dB) are the standard unit of measurement for the loudness or intensity of a sound.

Question 7

Which theories BEST explain color vision in humans?
A)the trichromatic theory and the place theory
B)the opponent-process theory and the frequency theory
C)the opponent-process theory and the trichromatic theory
D)the place theory and the frequency theory

Accepted Answer

The opponent-process theory explains how we perceive color in relation to the opposing colors of red-green, blue-yellow, and black-white. The trichromatic theory explains how we see color by combining signals from three different types of cones (red, green, blue) in the retina. These two theories work together to explain color vision in humans.

Question 8

In general, sound waves are _____ in the outer ear and _____ in the middle ear.
A)amplified; transduced
B)amplified; collected
C)transduced; collected
D)collected; amplified

Accepted Answer

Sound waves are collected by the outer ear and then amplified by the structures in the middle ear.

Question 9

Separating the middle ear from the inner ear is a structure called the:
A)eardrum.
B)oval window.
C)pinna.
D)cochlea.

Accepted Answer

The oval window is the membrane-covered opening that separates the middle ear from the inner ear.

Question 10

Loudness is determined by the:
A)amplitude or intensity of a sound wave.
B)number of sound waves per second.
C)number of wave peaks per second.
D)timbre of a sound wave.

Accepted Answer

Loudness is determined by the amplitude or intensity of a sound wave. The greater the amplitude, the louder the sound. Frequency (number of waves per second) and pitch are related, but not the same as loudness. Timbre refers to the quality or complexity of a sound.

Question 11

The primary function of the outer ear is to:
A)collect sound waves and funnel them into the ear canal.
B)protect the delicate inner structures of the ear from loud sounds.
C)provide a convenient place for wearing earrings.
D)transfer sounds to the cochlear membrane.

Accepted Answer

The outer ear includes the pinna, which collects sound waves and funnels them into the ear canal. This helps to amplify and direct sounds towards the middle ear.

Question 12

Timbre refers to the distinctive quality of a sound, which is produced by a:
A)particular combination of amplitude and intensity.
B)particular combination of different frequencies.
C)sound's decibel level.
D)high-frequency sound wave.

Accepted Answer

Timbre is determined by the combination of different frequencies present in a sound. This is different from amplitude (the loudness of a sound) or decibel level, which only relate to the intensity of the sound wave. High-frequency waves may contribute to the overall timbre of a sound, but they alone do not produce it.

Question 13

What separates the outer ear from the middle ear?
A)the pinna
B)the basilar membrane
C)the oval window
D)the eardrum

Accepted Answer

The eardrum, also known as the tympanic membrane, separates the outer ear from the middle ear. The pinna is the visible part of the outer ear, the basilar membrane is located in the inner ear, and the oval window is located in the middle ear, but it is not what separates the two ear sections.

Question 14

The primary function of the _____ is to catch sound waves and funnel them into the ear canal.
A)pinna
B)eardrum
C)middle ear
D)basilar membrane

Accepted Answer

The pinna, also known as the outer ear, is the visible part of the ear that helps to catch sound waves and funnel them into the ear canal.

Question 15

Our perception of sound is directly related to the physical properties of:
A)sound waves.
B)light waves.
C)electromagnetic waves.
D)chemical substances.

Accepted Answer

Our perception of sound is directly related to the physical properties of sound waves. Sound waves are mechanical waves that propagate through a medium such as air, water, or solids. These waves have properties such as frequency, amplitude, and wavelength, which determine the pitch, loudness, and timbre of the sound we perceive. Light waves and electromagnetic waves are not directly related to our perception of sound, and chemical substances play a role in the sense of smell, not sound.

Question 16

The primary function served by the middle ear is to:
A)collect sound waves.
B)mute loud sounds.
C)amplify the vibration of sound waves.
D)help pinpoint the location of sounds.

Accepted Answer

The middle ear's primary function is to amplify the vibration of sound waves. It does so through the three small bones, or ossicles, called the malleus, incus, and stapes, which mechanically amplify the sound vibrations received from the eardrum and transmit them to the inner ear. The other options are not the primary functions of the middle ear.

Question 17

Loudness is to _____ as pitch is to _____.
A)frequency; timbre
B)complexity; amplitude
C)audition; gustation
D)amplitude; frequency

Accepted Answer

Loudness is determined by amplitude, just as pitch is determined by frequency. Therefore, D is the correct pair. A is incorrect because timbre refers to the quality or character of a sound, not pitch. B is incorrect because complexity is not the opposite of amplitude or loudness. C is incorrect because gustation refers to taste, not sound perception.

Question 18

The sense of hearing is also known as:
A)gustation.
B)audition.
C)olfaction.
D)kinesthesia.

Accepted Answer

The sense of hearing is specifically known as audition. Gustation refers to the sense of taste, olfaction refers to the sense of smell, and kinesthesia refers to the sense of movement and bodily position.

Question 19

The hammer, anvil, and stirrup are:
A)three large bones in the outer ear.
B)three tiny bones in the middle ear.
C)bones that encase the ear canal, protecting it from damage.
D)three tiny bones in the cochlea.

Accepted Answer

The hammer, anvil, and stirrup are three tiny bones in the middle ear that help amplify sound waves and transmit them to the inner ear.

Question 20

The purpose of the hammer, anvil, and stirrup is to:
A)increase the amplification of sound and transmit the vibration to the eardrum.
B)diminish the amplification of sound and transmit the vibration to the oval window.
C)increase the amplification of sound and transmit the amplified vibration to the oval window.
D)separate high frequency and low frequency sounds.

Accepted Answer

The hammer, anvil, and stirrup are part of the middle ear and are responsible for increasing the amplification of sound and transmitting the amplified vibration to the oval window, which is the entrance to the inner ear. This amplification is necessary because the air-filled middle ear cannot efficiently transmit sound waves to the fluid-filled inner ear. The hammer, anvil, and stirrup work together in a lever-like system to increase the force of the vibrations and transmit them to the oval window.

Quiz 3: Section 2: Sensation and Perception

The outer ear consists of the:

McGillicuddy is an active 80-year-old, but she has trouble hearing. Her hearing improves after she is fitted with a hearing aid. Mrs. McGillicuddy is suffering from _ deafness, which was probably caused by _.

While you are blindfolded, you are asked to identify the voices of five of your friends. You're able to do so because you recognize the distinctive _____ of each voice.

If your hammer, anvil, and stirrup become brittle or damaged:

What causes the eardrum to vibrate?

What units are used to measure the loudness of sound?

Which theories BEST explain color vision in humans?

In general, sound waves are _ in the outer ear and _ in the middle ear.

Separating the middle ear from the inner ear is a structure called the:

Loudness is determined by the:

The primary function of the outer ear is to:

Timbre refers to the distinctive quality of a sound, which is produced by a:

What separates the outer ear from the middle ear?

The primary function of the _____ is to catch sound waves and funnel them into the ear canal.

Our perception of sound is directly related to the physical properties of:

The primary function served by the middle ear is to:

Loudness is to _ as pitch is to _.

The sense of hearing is also known as:

The hammer, anvil, and stirrup are:

The purpose of the hammer, anvil, and stirrup is to: