Hearing and Vestibular Sensation

Free Response

How would a rise in altitude likely affect the speed of a sound transmitted through air? Why?

Hint:

The sound would slow down, because it is transmitted through the particles (gas) and there are fewer particles (lower density) at higher altitudes.

How might being in a place with less gravity than Earth has (such as Earth’s moon) affect vestibular sensation, and why?

Hint:

Because vestibular sensation relies on gravity’s effects on tiny crystals in the inner ear, a situation of reduced gravity would likely impair vestibular sensation.

How does the structure of the ear allow a person to determine where a sound originates?

Hint:

The first step in processing a sound in humans is the collection of sound by the pinna. When a person encounters a sound, the pinna on both sides of the head will collect the vibrations. Since the waves originate from a single site, the two pinnae will not collect the sound at the exact same time. When the sound is processed by the auditory system, the brain is able to use this slight difference in timing to determine the location of the sound.