hearing
how humans hear:
- Human hearing begins with a collection of different sounds
- The outside ear help to direct sound waves into the ear canal
- Sounds waves are stopped when they hit the eardrum
- When the sound waves hit the eardrum they cause it to vibrate
- The middle ear contains the ossicles, the three smallest bones in the human
body, the hammer, anvil, and stirrup
- Vibrations in the eardrum then cause the ossicles to vibrate
- Vibrations in the inner ear cause pressure in the cochlea which is filled with fluid
- Inside the cochlea are very specialized cells with microscopic hairs on one end
that project into the fluid-filled space
- Hair cells respond to the waves of pressure in the inner ear fluid by moving
- These signals are sent through the nerves to the brainstem
- the hearing apparatus allows most humans, at the peak of function, to hear
sounds between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz.
- The outside ear help to direct sound waves into the ear canal
- Sounds waves are stopped when they hit the eardrum
- When the sound waves hit the eardrum they cause it to vibrate
- The middle ear contains the ossicles, the three smallest bones in the human
body, the hammer, anvil, and stirrup
- Vibrations in the eardrum then cause the ossicles to vibrate
- Vibrations in the inner ear cause pressure in the cochlea which is filled with fluid
- Inside the cochlea are very specialized cells with microscopic hairs on one end
that project into the fluid-filled space
- Hair cells respond to the waves of pressure in the inner ear fluid by moving
- These signals are sent through the nerves to the brainstem
- the hearing apparatus allows most humans, at the peak of function, to hear
sounds between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz.
how owls hear:
- Owls are more active at night, and therefore have a highly developed auditory system
- The ears are located at the sides of the head, behind the eyes, and are covered
by the feathers
- The ear tufts are not actually ears at all, as sometimes confused, they are clumps of feathers
- Shape of the ear opening depends on the type of owl
- Owl's hearing is much more acute at certain frequencies enabling it to hear even
the slightest movement of their prey in leaves or undergrowth
- Owls can detect a left/right time difference of about 0.00003 seconds
- An Owl can also tell if the sound is higher or lower by using the asymmetrical
or uneven Ear openings
- The ears are located at the sides of the head, behind the eyes, and are covered
by the feathers
- The ear tufts are not actually ears at all, as sometimes confused, they are clumps of feathers
- Shape of the ear opening depends on the type of owl
- Owl's hearing is much more acute at certain frequencies enabling it to hear even
the slightest movement of their prey in leaves or undergrowth
- Owls can detect a left/right time difference of about 0.00003 seconds
- An Owl can also tell if the sound is higher or lower by using the asymmetrical
or uneven Ear openings
how frogs hear:
- Frogs do not have outside ears as we do as humans but they do have an eardrum
- A frog does have some kind of eardrum along with a brain, inner and middle ear
- Frogs hear also with their lungs
- The eardrum of most frogs is a membrane surrounded by a cartilage ring
- Sound waves vibrate the eardrum, which wiggles a rod connected to the
eardrum, which sloshes fluid in the inner ear, which waves hairs in hair cells
- The hair cells contact nerve fibers, which generate electrical pulses
- Nerve fibers carry the signals to the brain, which interprets the nerve signals as sound
- A frog does have some kind of eardrum along with a brain, inner and middle ear
- Frogs hear also with their lungs
- The eardrum of most frogs is a membrane surrounded by a cartilage ring
- Sound waves vibrate the eardrum, which wiggles a rod connected to the
eardrum, which sloshes fluid in the inner ear, which waves hairs in hair cells
- The hair cells contact nerve fibers, which generate electrical pulses
- Nerve fibers carry the signals to the brain, which interprets the nerve signals as sound
fun facts!
- Fish do not have ears, but they can hear pressure changes through ridges on
their body
- The ear continues to hear sounds, even while you sleep
- Sound travels at the speed of 1,130 feet per second, or 770 miles per hour
- Dogs can hear much higher frequencies than humans
- Ears not only help you hear, but also aid in balance
- Male mosquitoes hear with thousands of tiny hairs growing on their antennae
their body
- The ear continues to hear sounds, even while you sleep
- Sound travels at the speed of 1,130 feet per second, or 770 miles per hour
- Dogs can hear much higher frequencies than humans
- Ears not only help you hear, but also aid in balance
- Male mosquitoes hear with thousands of tiny hairs growing on their antennae