Describe how the human ear perceives sound.

Description should include

  • the structure of the ear
    • auricle (i.e., outer ear)
    • middle ear
    • cochlea (i.e., inner ear)
  • that sound arrives at the ear as a mechanical sound wave traveling through air
  • the frequency range of average human hearing (i.e., 20 hertz [Hz] to 20 kilohertz [kHz])
  • the psychological responses to sound that are altered by the environment
  • the physiological effects of sound on the human body.

Process/Skill Questions:

  • How does the science of sound translate to workplace readiness?
  • How does auditory processing from the eardrum to the auditory cortex affect the emotional, mechanical, and reactionary responses to audio productions?
  • How are speech and music signals transformed from physical activity in the environment to sensations in the cochlea and psychological perceptions in the brain?