PSYC 211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Tral, Lateral Lemniscus, Olivary Body

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 211
• Professor: Yogita Chudasama

Document Summary

Sounds are vibrations of air molecules that are produced by objects. If the vibration ranges between 30 and 20,000 times per second, it stimulates receptor cells in the ears. The pitch determines the frequency of the molecular vibrations. It is measured in hertz (hz) or cycles per second. The loudness corresponds to the amplitude or intensity of the molecular vibrations. The timbre corresponds to the complexity of the sound. Most sounds that we perceive are highly complex. Timbre is important because it tells us about the nature of the sound: simple or complex. Frequency is important because it tells us about high and low frequencies. Amplitude is important because it tells us about soft and loud noises. Sound is funneled through the pinna (the external ear) Sounds coming down the ear canal cause the tympanic membrane (the eardrum) to vibrate. These vibrations are transferred to the middle ear.