, CHAPTER LIST
Chapter 1: Acoustics and Sound Measurement
Chapter 2: Anatomy and Physiology of the Auditory System
Chapter 3: Measurement Principles and the Nature of Hearing
Chapter 4: The Audiometer and Test Environment
Chapter 5: Pure Tone Audiometry
Chapter 6: Auditory System and Related Disorders
Chapter 7: Acoustic Immittance Assessment
Chapter 8: Speech Audiometry
Chapter 9: Clinical Masking
Chapter 10: Behavioral Tests for Audiological Diagnosis
Chapter 11: Physiological Methods in Audiology
Chapter 12: Assessment of Infants and Children
Chapter 13: Audiological Screening
Chapter 14: Nonorganic Hearing Loss
Chapter 15: Audiological Management I
Chapter 16: Audiological Management II
Chapter 17: Effects of Noise and Hearing Conservation
,Essentials of Audiology, 5th Edition
Chapter 1: Acoustics and Sound Measurement
Multiple Choice
1. What physical property of a sound wave determines its perceived pitch?
A. Initial phase angle
B. Amplitude of displacement
C. Overall sound duration
D. Frequency of vibration
Answer: D
Rationale: Frequency, measured in Hertz (Hz), represents the number of complete cycles of
vibration per second and is the primary physical acoustic property that determines the
psychological perception of pitch.
2. Which acoustic term describes the time required for a sound wave to complete one full
cycle of vibration?
A. Velocity
B. Frequency
C. Wavelength
D. Period
Answer: D
Rationale: Period (T) is defined as the time (usually in seconds or milliseconds) required for a
vibrating object to complete one full cycle of motion.
, 3. What happens to the wavelength of a sound wave as its frequency increases in a
uniform medium?
A. Wavelength remains unchanged
B. Wavelength doubles continuously
C. Wavelength decreases inversely
D. Wavelength increases proportionally
Answer: C
Rationale: Wavelength (λ = c/f) is inversely proportional to frequency; as frequency increases,
the spatial distance occupied by one cycle decreases.
4. What is the fundamental reference pressure for sound pressure level (0 dB SPL) in
human acoustics?
A. 10⁻¹⁶ W/cm²
B. 1 dyne/cm²
C. 10⁻¹² W/m²
D. 20 µPa
Answer: D
Rationale: The standard reference pressure for sound pressure level (0 dB SPL) is 20 µPa (20
micropascals or 0.0002 dyne/cm²), which corresponds to the average human threshold of
hearing at 1000 Hz.
5. Which relationship correctly describes the decibel scale used in sound measurement?
A. Linear scale based on absolute physical values
B. Exponential scale based on temperature changes
C. Interval scale with equal physical steps
D. Logarithmic scale based on ratios of sound quantities
Answer: D
Rationale: The decibel scale is a logarithmic ratio scale, allowing a vast range of acoustic
pressures and intensities to be expressed in manageable units relative to a standardized
reference.
, 6. What type of sound wave contains energy at a single frequency with no harmonic
components?
A. Sine wave
B. Impulse wave
C. Aperiodic noise wave
D. Complex periodic wave
Answer: A
Rationale: A sine wave (or pure tone) consists of a single frequency component, represented
as a single vertical line on a frequency spectrum.
7. What acoustic phenomenon occurs when two pure-tone sound waves of identical
frequency and amplitude are combined in phase (0° phase difference)?
A. Amplitude increases by 6 dB
B. Waveform becomes aperiodic
C. Complete acoustic cancellation
D. Frequency doubles in magnitude
Answer: A
Rationale: Combining two in-phase sine waves of equal amplitude results in constructive
interference, doubling the sound pressure, which corresponds to a 6 dB increase in sound
pressure level.
8. What term refers to the whole-number multiples of the fundamental frequency in a
complex periodic sound?
A. Transient bursts
B. Harmonics
C. Formants
D. Octave bands
Answer: B
Rationale: Harmonics are integer multiples of the fundamental frequency (f₀); for example, if f₀
= 100 Hz, the second harmonic is 200 Hz and the third is 300 Hz.
, 9. Which sound level meter weighting network is designed to mimic the human ear's
response at low sound intensity levels (~40 phons)?
A. A-weighting
B. C-weighting
C. B-weighting
D. Linear weighting
Answer: A
Rationale: The A-weighting scale attenuates low frequencies in a manner similar to the human
ear's frequency sensitivity at low-to-moderate sound levels, making it the standard metric for
environmental and industrial noise monitoring.
10. What is the speed of sound in air at standard room temperature (20°C)?
A. 500 m/s
B. 1480 m/s
C. 300 m/s
D. 343 m/s
Answer: D
Rationale: The velocity of sound in air at standard room temperature (20°C) is approximately
343 m/s (or 1125 ft/s).
11. What acoustic term describes the opposition to the flow of acoustic energy through a
medium or system?
A. Acoustic impedance
B. Compliance
C. Conductance
D. Admittance
Answer: A
Rationale: Acoustic impedance (Z) is the total opposition offered by a system to the flow of
acoustic energy, determined by mass, resistance, and stiffness parameters.
,Matching
Matching Table 1
Column A Column B
A. A single frequency wave represented
1. Pure tone
by a sine function
B. Waveform repeating regularly with
2. Complex periodic wave
multiple harmonic frequencies
C. Non-repeating waveform containing
a continuous spectrum of frequencies
12. Match Pure tone to its appropriate description from Matching Table 1.
Answer: A
Rationale: A pure tone is a sinusoidal wave consisting of energy at only one discrete
frequency.
13. Match Complex periodic wave to its appropriate description from Matching Table 1.
Answer: B
Rationale: A complex periodic wave consists of multiple frequency components that repeat a
regular pattern over time at predictable intervals determined by the fundamental frequency.
Matching Table 2
Column A Column B
A. Passes frequencies above a cutoff
1. Low-pass filter
limit while attenuating lower frequencies
B. Passes frequencies below a cutoff
2. High-pass filter limit while attenuating higher
frequencies
,Column A Column B
C. Passes frequencies within a specific
frequency band while attenuating all
others
14. Match Low-pass filter to its operation description from Matching Table 2.
Answer: B
Rationale: A low-pass filter allows acoustic energy below a designated cutoff frequency to
pass through while attenuating energy at higher frequencies.
15. Match High-pass filter to its operation description from Matching Table 2.
Answer: A
Rationale: A high-pass filter permits acoustic energy above a specified cutoff frequency to
pass through while attenuating lower frequency components.
Matching Table 3
Column A Column B
A. Maximum displacement of a wave
1. Peak amplitude
from its baseline equilibrium
B. Total displacement distance from
2. Peak-to-peak amplitude
positive peak to negative peak
C. Root-mean-square average
amplitude over a full cycle
16. Match Peak amplitude to its definition from Matching Table 3.
Answer: A
Rationale: Peak amplitude measures the maximum instantaneous displacement of a sound
wave from its equilibrium (zero baseline) to its maximum point.
, 17. Match Peak-to-peak amplitude to its definition from Matching Table 3.
Answer: B
Rationale: Peak-to-peak amplitude measures the total distance from the maximum positive
peak to the maximum negative peak of a sound wave.
Matching Table 4
Column A Column B
A. Persistence of sound in an enclosed
1. Reverberation
space due to repeated reflections
B. Distinct repetition of a sound delayed
2. Echo
sufficiently to be perceived separately
C. Complete absorption of sound waves
by a porous surface
18. Match Reverberation to its description from Matching Table 4.
Answer: A
Rationale: Reverberation is the prolonged presence of sound in an enclosed room created by
multiple, dense sound reflections off room surfaces following sound source termination.
19. Match Echo to its description from Matching Table 4.
Answer: B
Rationale: An echo is a single, distinct reflection of a sound wave that arrives at the listener
with a sufficient time delay (typically greater than 50 ms) to be perceived as a separate
auditory event.
Multiple Response
20. Which parameters are required to completely specify a simple sinusoidal sound wave in
acoustics? (Select all that apply.)
, A. Critical bandwidth
B. Reverberation time
C. Amplitude
D. Starting phase
E. Frequency
Answer: C, D, E
Rationale: A simple sine wave is completely specified by three parameters: frequency (rate of
vibration), amplitude (magnitude of displacement), and starting phase (point in the
displacement cycle at time zero).
21. Which decibel scales are referenced to standardized physical baseline quantities rather
than behavioral human hearing thresholds? (Select all that apply.)
A. dB IL (Intensity Level)
B. dB A (A-weighted level)
C. dB HL (Hearing Level)
D. dB SL (Sensation Level)
E. dB SPL (Sound Pressure Level)
Answer: A, E
Rationale: Both dB SPL (20 µPa) and dB IL (10⁻¹² W/m²) use physical, non-behavioral baseline
reference values, whereas dB HL and dB SL are referenced to human auditory behavioral
thresholds.
22. Which acoustic conditions promote the formation of standing waves in an auditory
enclosure? (Select all that apply.)
A. Superposition of opposite-traveling waves
B. Incident and reflected waves of equal frequency
C. Highly porous sound-absorbing wall panels
D. Parallel reflective walls
E. Open-air free field environment
Answer: A, B, D
Chapter 1: Acoustics and Sound Measurement
Chapter 2: Anatomy and Physiology of the Auditory System
Chapter 3: Measurement Principles and the Nature of Hearing
Chapter 4: The Audiometer and Test Environment
Chapter 5: Pure Tone Audiometry
Chapter 6: Auditory System and Related Disorders
Chapter 7: Acoustic Immittance Assessment
Chapter 8: Speech Audiometry
Chapter 9: Clinical Masking
Chapter 10: Behavioral Tests for Audiological Diagnosis
Chapter 11: Physiological Methods in Audiology
Chapter 12: Assessment of Infants and Children
Chapter 13: Audiological Screening
Chapter 14: Nonorganic Hearing Loss
Chapter 15: Audiological Management I
Chapter 16: Audiological Management II
Chapter 17: Effects of Noise and Hearing Conservation
,Essentials of Audiology, 5th Edition
Chapter 1: Acoustics and Sound Measurement
Multiple Choice
1. What physical property of a sound wave determines its perceived pitch?
A. Initial phase angle
B. Amplitude of displacement
C. Overall sound duration
D. Frequency of vibration
Answer: D
Rationale: Frequency, measured in Hertz (Hz), represents the number of complete cycles of
vibration per second and is the primary physical acoustic property that determines the
psychological perception of pitch.
2. Which acoustic term describes the time required for a sound wave to complete one full
cycle of vibration?
A. Velocity
B. Frequency
C. Wavelength
D. Period
Answer: D
Rationale: Period (T) is defined as the time (usually in seconds or milliseconds) required for a
vibrating object to complete one full cycle of motion.
, 3. What happens to the wavelength of a sound wave as its frequency increases in a
uniform medium?
A. Wavelength remains unchanged
B. Wavelength doubles continuously
C. Wavelength decreases inversely
D. Wavelength increases proportionally
Answer: C
Rationale: Wavelength (λ = c/f) is inversely proportional to frequency; as frequency increases,
the spatial distance occupied by one cycle decreases.
4. What is the fundamental reference pressure for sound pressure level (0 dB SPL) in
human acoustics?
A. 10⁻¹⁶ W/cm²
B. 1 dyne/cm²
C. 10⁻¹² W/m²
D. 20 µPa
Answer: D
Rationale: The standard reference pressure for sound pressure level (0 dB SPL) is 20 µPa (20
micropascals or 0.0002 dyne/cm²), which corresponds to the average human threshold of
hearing at 1000 Hz.
5. Which relationship correctly describes the decibel scale used in sound measurement?
A. Linear scale based on absolute physical values
B. Exponential scale based on temperature changes
C. Interval scale with equal physical steps
D. Logarithmic scale based on ratios of sound quantities
Answer: D
Rationale: The decibel scale is a logarithmic ratio scale, allowing a vast range of acoustic
pressures and intensities to be expressed in manageable units relative to a standardized
reference.
, 6. What type of sound wave contains energy at a single frequency with no harmonic
components?
A. Sine wave
B. Impulse wave
C. Aperiodic noise wave
D. Complex periodic wave
Answer: A
Rationale: A sine wave (or pure tone) consists of a single frequency component, represented
as a single vertical line on a frequency spectrum.
7. What acoustic phenomenon occurs when two pure-tone sound waves of identical
frequency and amplitude are combined in phase (0° phase difference)?
A. Amplitude increases by 6 dB
B. Waveform becomes aperiodic
C. Complete acoustic cancellation
D. Frequency doubles in magnitude
Answer: A
Rationale: Combining two in-phase sine waves of equal amplitude results in constructive
interference, doubling the sound pressure, which corresponds to a 6 dB increase in sound
pressure level.
8. What term refers to the whole-number multiples of the fundamental frequency in a
complex periodic sound?
A. Transient bursts
B. Harmonics
C. Formants
D. Octave bands
Answer: B
Rationale: Harmonics are integer multiples of the fundamental frequency (f₀); for example, if f₀
= 100 Hz, the second harmonic is 200 Hz and the third is 300 Hz.
, 9. Which sound level meter weighting network is designed to mimic the human ear's
response at low sound intensity levels (~40 phons)?
A. A-weighting
B. C-weighting
C. B-weighting
D. Linear weighting
Answer: A
Rationale: The A-weighting scale attenuates low frequencies in a manner similar to the human
ear's frequency sensitivity at low-to-moderate sound levels, making it the standard metric for
environmental and industrial noise monitoring.
10. What is the speed of sound in air at standard room temperature (20°C)?
A. 500 m/s
B. 1480 m/s
C. 300 m/s
D. 343 m/s
Answer: D
Rationale: The velocity of sound in air at standard room temperature (20°C) is approximately
343 m/s (or 1125 ft/s).
11. What acoustic term describes the opposition to the flow of acoustic energy through a
medium or system?
A. Acoustic impedance
B. Compliance
C. Conductance
D. Admittance
Answer: A
Rationale: Acoustic impedance (Z) is the total opposition offered by a system to the flow of
acoustic energy, determined by mass, resistance, and stiffness parameters.
,Matching
Matching Table 1
Column A Column B
A. A single frequency wave represented
1. Pure tone
by a sine function
B. Waveform repeating regularly with
2. Complex periodic wave
multiple harmonic frequencies
C. Non-repeating waveform containing
a continuous spectrum of frequencies
12. Match Pure tone to its appropriate description from Matching Table 1.
Answer: A
Rationale: A pure tone is a sinusoidal wave consisting of energy at only one discrete
frequency.
13. Match Complex periodic wave to its appropriate description from Matching Table 1.
Answer: B
Rationale: A complex periodic wave consists of multiple frequency components that repeat a
regular pattern over time at predictable intervals determined by the fundamental frequency.
Matching Table 2
Column A Column B
A. Passes frequencies above a cutoff
1. Low-pass filter
limit while attenuating lower frequencies
B. Passes frequencies below a cutoff
2. High-pass filter limit while attenuating higher
frequencies
,Column A Column B
C. Passes frequencies within a specific
frequency band while attenuating all
others
14. Match Low-pass filter to its operation description from Matching Table 2.
Answer: B
Rationale: A low-pass filter allows acoustic energy below a designated cutoff frequency to
pass through while attenuating energy at higher frequencies.
15. Match High-pass filter to its operation description from Matching Table 2.
Answer: A
Rationale: A high-pass filter permits acoustic energy above a specified cutoff frequency to
pass through while attenuating lower frequency components.
Matching Table 3
Column A Column B
A. Maximum displacement of a wave
1. Peak amplitude
from its baseline equilibrium
B. Total displacement distance from
2. Peak-to-peak amplitude
positive peak to negative peak
C. Root-mean-square average
amplitude over a full cycle
16. Match Peak amplitude to its definition from Matching Table 3.
Answer: A
Rationale: Peak amplitude measures the maximum instantaneous displacement of a sound
wave from its equilibrium (zero baseline) to its maximum point.
, 17. Match Peak-to-peak amplitude to its definition from Matching Table 3.
Answer: B
Rationale: Peak-to-peak amplitude measures the total distance from the maximum positive
peak to the maximum negative peak of a sound wave.
Matching Table 4
Column A Column B
A. Persistence of sound in an enclosed
1. Reverberation
space due to repeated reflections
B. Distinct repetition of a sound delayed
2. Echo
sufficiently to be perceived separately
C. Complete absorption of sound waves
by a porous surface
18. Match Reverberation to its description from Matching Table 4.
Answer: A
Rationale: Reverberation is the prolonged presence of sound in an enclosed room created by
multiple, dense sound reflections off room surfaces following sound source termination.
19. Match Echo to its description from Matching Table 4.
Answer: B
Rationale: An echo is a single, distinct reflection of a sound wave that arrives at the listener
with a sufficient time delay (typically greater than 50 ms) to be perceived as a separate
auditory event.
Multiple Response
20. Which parameters are required to completely specify a simple sinusoidal sound wave in
acoustics? (Select all that apply.)
, A. Critical bandwidth
B. Reverberation time
C. Amplitude
D. Starting phase
E. Frequency
Answer: C, D, E
Rationale: A simple sine wave is completely specified by three parameters: frequency (rate of
vibration), amplitude (magnitude of displacement), and starting phase (point in the
displacement cycle at time zero).
21. Which decibel scales are referenced to standardized physical baseline quantities rather
than behavioral human hearing thresholds? (Select all that apply.)
A. dB IL (Intensity Level)
B. dB A (A-weighted level)
C. dB HL (Hearing Level)
D. dB SL (Sensation Level)
E. dB SPL (Sound Pressure Level)
Answer: A, E
Rationale: Both dB SPL (20 µPa) and dB IL (10⁻¹² W/m²) use physical, non-behavioral baseline
reference values, whereas dB HL and dB SL are referenced to human auditory behavioral
thresholds.
22. Which acoustic conditions promote the formation of standing waves in an auditory
enclosure? (Select all that apply.)
A. Superposition of opposite-traveling waves
B. Incident and reflected waves of equal frequency
C. Highly porous sound-absorbing wall panels
D. Parallel reflective walls
E. Open-air free field environment
Answer: A, B, D
