PSYCH261 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Lateral Geniculate Nucleus, Tectorial Membrane, Oval Window

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH261
• Professor: Jeff Wammes

Document Summary

The ear converts sound waves into neural impulses. Loudness: intensity of a sound wave, relates to the amplitude of sound wave. Timbre: complexity of the sound wave (aka richness) Pinna: external outer ear, transmits sound waves to the ear canal. Tympanic membrane: aka ear drum, transmits sound waves to ossicles. Ossicles: bones found in the inner ear that amplify the sound waves and vibrate the oval window (malleus, incus, stapes) Oval window: entrance into the cochlea, vibrated by the stapes. Round window: allows sound waves to exit the cochlea. Semicircular canals: part of the vestibular apparatus (for equilibrium) Overtones are multiples of the fundamental frequencies. Different frequencies stimulate different places of the cochlea. Close to the oval window is very stiff and is stimulated by high frequencies. Far from the oval window is floppy and is stimulated by low frequencies. The organ of corti: series of hair cells anchored in a basillar and tectorial membrane.