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Define Sound


Guest Terabyte

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Guest Terabyte

Hi,

I'm looking for an exceptionally precise definition of sound so i can go an kick some philosophers butt tommorow night.. :rolleyes: i've got so far planning my argument.. and just realised if i dont define sound i have a slight problem... :eek:

 

How is sound created? Just air particles vibrating? :-( Or will any particles vibrating create sound? :D

 

Also exactly what is sound (strict definition) :confused:

 

Thanks :D :D :D

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  • 11 months later...

Vibrations in air are vibrations in air. They are not sound. Sound is a sensory experience resulting from excitation of auditory centres in the temporal lobes.

 

These two things correlate insofar as vibrations in air cause the timpanic membranes to vibrate, which in turn triggers mechanoreceptors in the cochlea which send electrochemical volleys to auditory centres. But there are exceptions. It doesn't always take vibrations in air to result in sound. Nor will vibrations in air always result in sound (e.g. congenital deafness).

 

Examples of sound percived without vibrations in air include acute (or chronic) tinitus, or direct electrical stimulation of cochleal transducers, the auditory nerve or areas of the temporal lobes (electricity is not a mechanical stimulus).

 

So, sound can be defined as a specific sensory experience associated with activity in auditory areas in the temporal lobes which usually, but not necessarily, results from the amplification of vibrations in air through the timpanic membranes and transduced by mechanoreceptors in the cochlea.

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