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PSYC 230 UIUC EXAMS 2 | ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS ALREADY
GRADED A+ | PROFESSOR VERIFIED | LATEST
VERSIONS 2025
Sound stimulus - (answers)the periodic variations in air pressure traveling out
from the source
Sound waves - (answers)the waves of pressure changes that occur in the air as a
function of the vibration of a source
Medium of sound - (answers)A material (solid, liquid, or gas, or combination of
these) through which a wave travels. In water, sound travels 4x faster than it does
through air.
pure tones - (answers)A sound wave in which changes in air pressure follow a sine
wave pattern.
amplitude - (answers)the difference between the peak and the baseline of a wave
(height of wave).
loudness - (answers)Perceptual experience of amplitude
Loud sounds can be dangerous - (answers)Prolonged contact to sounds over 85
dB can eventually cause hearing loss. Sounds louder than 120 dB are painful.
Sounds louder than 130 dB will generally result in immediate and permanent
hearing loss.
Frequency - (answers)The number of cycles in a sound stimulus that occur in 1
second
Pitch - (answers)The subjective experience of frequency
what unit is used to measure sound amplitude? - (answers)Hertz (Hz)
What is the hearing range of humans and how does it change with age? -
(answers)20-20,000 Hz. As people age, hearing in the highest range dissipates.
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Lowest frequencies tend to remain stable with age.
Outer ear - (answers)Pinna, external auditory canal, tympanic membrane
(eardrum)
Pinna - (answers)Collects sound and funnels it into the auditory canal
External auditory canal - (answers)conducts sound to the tympanic membrane,
amplifies specific sound frequencies.
Tympanic membrane (eardrum) - (answers)Thin elastic sheet.
Middle ear - (answers)Eustachian tube
Tensor tympani
Stapedius
Ossicles:
Malleus (hammer)
Incus (anvil)
Stapes (stirrup)
Eustachian tube - (answers)Connects the middle ear with the pharynx. Equalizes
air pressure on either side of the eardrum
Tensor tympani and Stapedius - (answers)Muscles attached to the malleus and
stapes
Incus (anvil) - (answers)The middle bone which is connected to the malleus and
hammer, passes vibrations onto the stapes.
Ossicles - (answers)3 small bones in the middle ear that conduct sound
mechanically, goal is to amplify sounds
Malleus (hammer) - (answers)Affixed to the tympanic membrane and acts on the
incus
Stapes (stirrups) - (answers)Vibrates against oval window creating pressure waves
leading to transduction by hair cells on basilar membrane in cochlea
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Inner ear - (answers)functions: transduce sound into a neural signal
Cochlea - (answers)Snail-shaped structure of the inner ear that houses the hair
cells that transduce sound into a neural signal.
Tympanic canal - (answers)One of three fluid-filled chambers in the cochlea.
Vibrations travel down it.
Middle canal - (answers)One of three fluid-filled passages in the cochlea. In
between the tympanic and vestibular canals.
Vestibular canal - (answers)One of the 3 fluid filled chambers of the Cochlea.
Vibrations travel down it, but not the tympanic canal.
Reissner's membrane - (answers)A thin sheath of tissue separating the vestibular
and middle canals in the cochlea.
Basilar membrane - (answers)Composed of fibers, like the base that contains the
very important cells involved in transduction. Contains the organ of corti.
Tectorial membrane - (answers)a gelatinous flap, attached on one end, that
extends into the middle canal of the ear
Organ of corti - (answers)Center part of the cochlea, containing hair cells, canals,
and membranes
Hair cells - (answers)receptor cells for hearing found in the cochlea
Stereocilia - (answers)hairlike extensions on the tips of hair cells in the cochlea
that initiate the release of neurotransmitters when they are flexed
Inner hair cells - (answers)Convey almost all info about sound waves to the brain
Outer hair cells - (answers)Receive information from the brain (using efferent
fibers). When they're stiffer, can help surpress noise and when less stiff, can help
tune to a given frequency.
PSYC 230 UIUC EXAMS 2 | ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS ALREADY
GRADED A+ | PROFESSOR VERIFIED | LATEST
VERSIONS 2025
Sound stimulus - (answers)the periodic variations in air pressure traveling out
from the source
Sound waves - (answers)the waves of pressure changes that occur in the air as a
function of the vibration of a source
Medium of sound - (answers)A material (solid, liquid, or gas, or combination of
these) through which a wave travels. In water, sound travels 4x faster than it does
through air.
pure tones - (answers)A sound wave in which changes in air pressure follow a sine
wave pattern.
amplitude - (answers)the difference between the peak and the baseline of a wave
(height of wave).
loudness - (answers)Perceptual experience of amplitude
Loud sounds can be dangerous - (answers)Prolonged contact to sounds over 85
dB can eventually cause hearing loss. Sounds louder than 120 dB are painful.
Sounds louder than 130 dB will generally result in immediate and permanent
hearing loss.
Frequency - (answers)The number of cycles in a sound stimulus that occur in 1
second
Pitch - (answers)The subjective experience of frequency
what unit is used to measure sound amplitude? - (answers)Hertz (Hz)
What is the hearing range of humans and how does it change with age? -
(answers)20-20,000 Hz. As people age, hearing in the highest range dissipates.
,2|Page
Lowest frequencies tend to remain stable with age.
Outer ear - (answers)Pinna, external auditory canal, tympanic membrane
(eardrum)
Pinna - (answers)Collects sound and funnels it into the auditory canal
External auditory canal - (answers)conducts sound to the tympanic membrane,
amplifies specific sound frequencies.
Tympanic membrane (eardrum) - (answers)Thin elastic sheet.
Middle ear - (answers)Eustachian tube
Tensor tympani
Stapedius
Ossicles:
Malleus (hammer)
Incus (anvil)
Stapes (stirrup)
Eustachian tube - (answers)Connects the middle ear with the pharynx. Equalizes
air pressure on either side of the eardrum
Tensor tympani and Stapedius - (answers)Muscles attached to the malleus and
stapes
Incus (anvil) - (answers)The middle bone which is connected to the malleus and
hammer, passes vibrations onto the stapes.
Ossicles - (answers)3 small bones in the middle ear that conduct sound
mechanically, goal is to amplify sounds
Malleus (hammer) - (answers)Affixed to the tympanic membrane and acts on the
incus
Stapes (stirrups) - (answers)Vibrates against oval window creating pressure waves
leading to transduction by hair cells on basilar membrane in cochlea
, 3|Page
Inner ear - (answers)functions: transduce sound into a neural signal
Cochlea - (answers)Snail-shaped structure of the inner ear that houses the hair
cells that transduce sound into a neural signal.
Tympanic canal - (answers)One of three fluid-filled chambers in the cochlea.
Vibrations travel down it.
Middle canal - (answers)One of three fluid-filled passages in the cochlea. In
between the tympanic and vestibular canals.
Vestibular canal - (answers)One of the 3 fluid filled chambers of the Cochlea.
Vibrations travel down it, but not the tympanic canal.
Reissner's membrane - (answers)A thin sheath of tissue separating the vestibular
and middle canals in the cochlea.
Basilar membrane - (answers)Composed of fibers, like the base that contains the
very important cells involved in transduction. Contains the organ of corti.
Tectorial membrane - (answers)a gelatinous flap, attached on one end, that
extends into the middle canal of the ear
Organ of corti - (answers)Center part of the cochlea, containing hair cells, canals,
and membranes
Hair cells - (answers)receptor cells for hearing found in the cochlea
Stereocilia - (answers)hairlike extensions on the tips of hair cells in the cochlea
that initiate the release of neurotransmitters when they are flexed
Inner hair cells - (answers)Convey almost all info about sound waves to the brain
Outer hair cells - (answers)Receive information from the brain (using efferent
fibers). When they're stiffer, can help surpress noise and when less stiff, can help
tune to a given frequency.
